This decadent Turtle Cake is a gorgeously lofty sweet creation, with three layers of rich, dark chocolate cake, fudgy frosting, sticky caramel, and crispy salted pecans. It’s a locally-famous Cafe Latte original that you can make at home!
This isn’t just any turtle cake — it’s THE Turtle Cake of Minnesota. It’s a menu staple at Cafe Latte on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, and this recipe is the slightest adaptation of theirs. The closest you’ll get to the actual cake without visiting this local cafe legend! The components are exactly what you’d expect: like Chocolate Turtles in cake form, with layers of rich and tender chocolate cake, thick fudgy frosting, sticky caramel, and a crown of crunchy roasted pecans. (For the same flavors in a creamy cheesecake, try my Turtle Pecan Cluster Cheesecake!)
What Makes This Cafe Latte Turtle Cake Totally Swoon-Worthy
I will forever associate this amazing turtle cake from Cafe Latte with birthday celebrations; it used to be a tradition at the office where I worked for 17+ years. The recipe has been shared in local newspapers and even by Midwest Living; it’s definitely a cake that put Minnesota on the map. Chocolate + caramel decadence in the most delightful way!
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
- A layer cake without the fuss. This is a forgiving cake, without frosting on the sides and piping on the top – it’s easy to make even if you’re not a pro at decorating. (Dare I say, it’s even FUN to put together?!)
- Nutty chocolate caramel bliss. And the taste? It is every bit as sinfully delicious as the slices at Cafe Latté. This is the type of dessert you eat in small bites, to savor every single component while thanking your lucky stars for this glorious treat sitting before you.
- Perfect for a party, easy enough to make anytime. This turtle cake is sure to impress, but because it’s also so easy to make, you can whip it up to celebrate smaller, simple-yet-special moments. Such as a great report card, finishing up a project, or just making it to the end of a work week.
Enjoy!
What You’ll Need
The ingredients for this cake are very straightforward. I even incorporate a shortcut for using store-bought caramel to save some time without sacrificing quality. Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.
Chocolate Cake:
- Egg – Let this come to room temperature before you start baking.
- Vegetable oil – Or another neutral oil you like to use for baking, like canola.
- Buttermilk – Use store-bought whole-fat buttermilk, not a homemade version. I find that buttermilk you make by whisking together milk with an acid is just never as thick as store-bought, and results can differ, so I don’t find it reliable.
- Flour – All-purpose flour adds structure to this turtle cake.
- Sugar – Use white granulated sugar.
- Cocoa powder – Use unsweetened natural cocoa powder.
- Salt – For balance and enhancing the overall flavor of the cake.
- Baking soda – A leavener that gives the cake layers some rise.
- Coffee – Freshly brewed hot coffee makes the cocoa pop with richer chocolate flavor (without making the cake taste like coffee, I promise!).
Fudge Frosting:
- Milk – Whole milk makes for a rich, creamy frosting.
- Sugar – Use white granulated sugar.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter and cut it into tablespoon-sized portions.
- Chocolate chips – Use good quality semisweet chocolate chips for the best frosting texture and flavor.
Caramel and Pecans:
- Caramel sauce – I like to make a lot of things from scratch, but in this case, I always grab some thick store-bought caramel.
- Pecans – Use roasted, salted whole pecans for the best crunch and flavor. I pick up a bag from Trader Joe’s – they are SO GOOD!
How to Make Turtle Cake
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making your own turtle cake.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease three round cake pans, line them with a parchment round, then grease the parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Stir together the egg, oil, and buttermilk in a small bowl.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
- Finish the batter. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then slowly add the hot coffee. Transfer to prepared pans.
- Bake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn the layers out onto wire racks to finish cooling.
- Make the fudge frosting. Bring the milk, sugar, and butter to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate chips. Let the mixture stand until it thickens.
- Assemble. Spread a third of the frosting onto the top of the first cake layer. Add 1/2 cup of pecans and 1/4 cup of caramel, followed by the next cake layer. Repeat with the frosting, pecans, and caramel, then add the last layer of cake and the remaining frosting, pecans, and caramel.
- Chill and serve. Refrigerate the cake for an hour or two to set up, then slice and serve.
Brenda’s Baking Tips & Recipe Variations
- Adjust the frosting consistency. If the frosting is thicker than you’d like, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons hot coffee. Note that it will thicken a bit as it cools, so don’t do this until you’ve tried letting it cool first. The goal is for the frosting to be thick and fudgy, though!
- Be picky about your pecans. If you can’t find roasted and salted whole pecans, definitely roast up some whole pecans yourself. Roasting intensifies their nutty, buttery flavor and enhances their crunch. It makes such a difference with this cake.
- Add some more salt. The pecans add some saltiness, but if you’d like a little more, use salted caramel or sprinkle Maldon sea salt flakes over the caramel layers.
- Don’t obsess about perfection. This is a layer cake that embraces decorating non-perfection. Just add swoops of fudge frosting, sprinkles of pecans, and drizzles of caramel over each cake layer. The exception would be…I do spend a little more time on the final top layer, so the cake has a pretty presentation.
How to Store Turtle Cake
- Refrigerator: Store the cake covered on a platter or refrigerate individual slices in an airtight container. The cake will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: Freezing isn’t ideal, but it can be done. I recommend freezing the cake (either whole or in slices) on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once frozen through, wrap the cake in plastic and transfer to a large freezer bag or an airtight container, or wrap in a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, remove any plastic wrap while the cake is still frozen, then thaw in the fridge in an airtight container or with a cake cover.
More Decadent Chocolate Desserts
Turtle Cake
Yield: 1 Cake
This gorgeously lofty cake features three layers of tender dark chocolate cake that are smothered with rich fudgy frosting, creamy caramel, and crispy salted pecans.
Print
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil (or your favorite neutral oil)
- 1 cup whole fat buttermilk (do not substitute homemade buttermilk)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
Fudge Frosting
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, sliced into tablespoon-sized portions
- 12 ounces (2 cups) good quality semisweet chocolate chips
Caramel and Pecans
- ¾ cup (purchased) thick, rich caramel sauce or ice cream topping (use a bit more if you like)
- 1½ cups roasted, salted whole pecans (I like the ones from Trader Joe’s)
Instructions
- Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 9″ round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, then grease the paper. Set pans aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together egg, oil, and buttermilk.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Gradually add wet ingredients to dry, until well mixed. Slowly add the hot coffee. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cakes rest in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Fudge Frosting: Once the cakes are cool, make the fudge frosting. In a saucepan, mix milk and sugar. Add butter. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and whisk until completely smooth. If frosting is thicker than you'd like, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons hot coffee. Let stand until thickened a bit, yet smoothly spreadable – refrigerate for a bit, if needed.
- Assemble: Place one cooled cake layer, top side down, on a cake plate. Spread with one-third of the fudge frosting, pushing it out gently from the edges to make a petal effect. Sprinkle with ½ cup pecans, drizzle with ¼ cup caramel. Add next cake layer, again top side down. Repeat with the same measurements of fudge frosting, pecans, and caramel. Add final cake layer, top side up, and frost with petal effect. Finish with remaining pecans and caramel.
- Chill cake 1 to 2 hours before serving.
Notes
adapted from the famous Turtle Cake found at Cafe Latté in St. Paul, MN
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 630kcal Carbohydrates: 96g Protein: 6g Fat: 28g Saturated Fat: 10g Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g Cholesterol: 32mg Sodium: 634mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 75g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
This post was originally published in 2011, then updated in 2026.
This cake is the best hands down!! So delicious everyone in family loves it !! It has become a staple on our holiday table. Thank you soooo much for the recipe!!
So happy to hear this, Tina! Thank you!
hi! your cakes are unbelievable! But I don’t understand american metrics. what is c.(cup?if cup, what volume it takes? ), T (tablespoon?) tsp (teaspoon?)?
YUM!!! I was looking for a cake to make for Mother’s day, and that little bit of eye candy “took the cake.” :)
Incredible!
Gee wiz! That looks sinfully delicious! …what I’d do for a slice of that right now ;)
Happy 1 year!
Happy Blogiversary!
The cake looks amazing!
Congratulations on being featured too, can’t wait to see what else you got here!
Following you from http://willcookforsmiles.blogspot.com/
Hope you can stop by and see me!
Congratulations on your one year anniversary!
We love cafe latte! My sister frequently makes this cake for Christmas and other holidays. I need to try the recipe out sometime.
Your cake looks beautiful and your blog is gorgeous!
Happy Blogiversary! I cannot believe you’ve only been blogging for a year! (And I mean that in a GOOD way….you are a PRO!)
Gorgeous, gorgeous cake!
Ok, I love turtles, and I am definitely going to have to try this cake!! Happy Blogiversary!!
This is one of those desserts that you linger around the table waiting for. Gorgeous doesn’t even begin to describe it. Thank you for posting this, and happy birthday!
Thank you so much, so nice to hear from you!
Happy Blogiversary love! What a delectable cake! PERFECT for such a joyous celebration! Cheers to many more!
Much appreciated, dear Wendy! xoxo