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–+ servings
turtle cake slice topped with whipped cream on a white plate.

Turtle Cake

Published by Kate
This old fashioned dessert is packed with homemade caramel, chocolate, and pecans!
4.78 from 9 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 15 servings
Calories 485 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the cake:

  • 1 box German chocolate cake mix, made according to package directions
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup evaporated milk
  • 1 (11 oz) bag caramels
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

For the topping:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup bottled caramel sauce
  • Chocolate chips
  • Chopped pecans

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour half of the batter into the pan, and bake for 15 minutes.
  • While the cake is baking, place the butter, evaporated milk, and unwrapped caramels into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is smooth.
  • Remove the cake from the oven. Carefully pour the caramel evenly over the top. Top with the chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Pour the remaining cake batter over the top and spread it evenly to cover the chocolate chips and pecans.
  • Bake the cake for an additional 28–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.
  • When you’re ready to serve the cake, pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
  • Cut the cake into slices. Place the slices on plates, and top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream, a sprinkle of chocolate chips and pecans, and a drizzle of bottled caramel sauce.

Notes

You'll make a homemade caramel sauce for this recipe, which is used in the cake. The instructions call for additional caramel sauce for the top of the cake. I used Hershey's bottled caramel sauce. 
You can use canned whipped cream instead of making your own, if you'd like! 
If you can't find German chocolate cake mix, you can substitute devil's food cake mix or fudge cake mix instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 5gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 346mgPotassium: 227mgFiber: 1gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 415IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 2mg
Keyword turtle cake
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