Cafe Latte 's Famous Turtle Cake

Cafe Latte 's Famous Turtle Cake







1 egg



2/3 cup vegetable oil



1 cup buttermilk



2 cups flour



1 3/4 cups sugar



1/2 cup good quality cocoa



1 tsp. salt



1 tbsp. baking soda



1 cup hot coffee



Frosting



1/2 cup milk



1 cup sugar



6 tbsp. butter



2 cups good-quality semisweet chocolate chips



3/4 cup caramel



1 1/2 cups toasted pecans







Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 (9-inch) cake pans. Cover each bottom with disk of parchment paper.



In bowl, combine egg, oil and buttermilk. In large separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Gradually add wet ingredients to dry until well mixed. Gradually add hot coffee. Scrape batter into prepared pans.



Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cake rest in pans for 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks to cool.



To make frosting



Mix sugar and milk in saucepan. Add butter. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips to pan. Using wire whisk, mix until smooth. If frosting is too thick or grainy, add 1 or 2 teaspoons hot coffee.



To assemble cake



Place one cooled cake layer, top-side down, on cake plate. Spread with one-third of frosting, pushing it out gently from edges to make a petal effect. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans, Drizzle with 1/4 cup caramel. Add next layer, again top-side down. Repeat frosting and sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans and drizzle with 1/4 cup caramel. And final layer top-side up, frost with petal effect and finish with remaining pecans and caramel.