Gooey Chocolate Turtle Cake
A rich chocolate cake layered with gooey caramel, crunchy pecans, and melty chocolate chips. Inspired by classic turtle candies, this easy dessert starts with a boxed cake mix and delivers a texture between molten lava cake and sheet cake.
Ingredients
- 1 box Super Moist Devil’s Food cake mix
- Water, vegetable oil, and eggs as listed on the cake mix box
- 14 oz caramels individually wrapped soft caramels, unwrapped
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips 1 bag
Optional Toppings
- vanilla ice cream or whipped cream optional
- caramel drizzle, chocolate sauce, extra chopped pecans optional toppings
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. If using a dark or nonstick pan, reduce the temperature to 325°F. Lightly grease or spray only the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking pan.
- Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using water, vegetable oil, and eggs. Whisk until smooth and free of lumps.
- Pour half of the prepared batter into the greased pan. Spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for 22 minutes. Refrigerate the remaining batter while this layer bakes.
- Unwrap caramels and place in a medium saucepan with evaporated milk. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until caramels melt and mixture is smooth, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chopped pecans.
- When first cake layer finishes baking, remove from oven. Pour warm caramel-pecan mixture evenly over baked layer. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the caramel. Drop spoonfuls of chilled reserved batter over the top and gently spread to cover as much as possible. It does not need to be perfect.
- Return pan to oven and bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until top springs back when lightly touched. Caramel may bubble around edges; that is normal.
- Remove from oven and run a knife around edges to loosen any stuck caramel. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert or let cool completely for cleaner slices. Store leftovers covered at room temperature up to one day, then refrigerate up to five days. Freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic and foil, stored in a freezer-safe bag, for up to three months. Reheat single slices in microwave for 20–30 seconds.