Gooey Chocolate Caramel Turtle Cake (Printer-friendly)
Decadent chocolate cake roll with creamy caramel, toasted pecans, and rich ganache topping.
# What you'll need:
→ Chocolate Sponge Cake
01 - 3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
06 - 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
07 - 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Gooey Caramel Filling
09 - 1 cup (240 g) creamy caramel sauce
10 - 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped pecans, toasted
→ Chocolate Ganache
11 - 4 oz (115 g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
12 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Garnish
14 - Additional chopped pecans for topping
15 - Extra caramel sauce for drizzling
16 - Chocolate shavings
# Method:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the surface.
02 - In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined and aerated.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature eggs and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes thick, pale, and doubles in volume.
04 - Mix the vanilla extract into the whipped egg mixture. Gradually fold in the sifted dry ingredients, alternating with the milk, using a gentle folding motion until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Spread the batter evenly across the prepared jelly roll pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the top springs back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - While the cake bakes, lay a clean kitchen towel flat on the counter and dust it generously with powdered sugar. Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven, invert it onto the prepared towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper.
07 - Starting from one short end, tightly roll the cake and towel together into a log shape. Place seam-side down on a wire rack and allow to cool completely, approximately 45 minutes.
08 - Gently unroll the cooled cake. Spread the creamy caramel sauce evenly across the entire surface. Sprinkle the toasted chopped pecans uniformly over the caramel layer.
09 - Carefully re-roll the cake (without the towel this time), keeping it as tight as possible. Place the roll seam-side down on a serving platter.
10 - In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream and unsalted butter over medium heat until just simmering. Pour the hot mixture over the finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let it sit for 2 minutes, then whisk vigorously until smooth and glossy. Allow to cool slightly until it reaches a pourable consistency.
11 - Pour the warm ganache over the rolled cake, spreading evenly across the top and allowing it to drip down the sides. Garnish with additional chopped pecans, caramel drizzle, and chocolate shavings as desired.
12 - Refrigerate the assembled cake roll for at least 30 minutes before slicing to allow the ganache to set and the filling to firm up for clean portions. Allow to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of caramel, chocolate, and pecans in every single bite will make you wonder why you ever settled for plain cake rolls.
- It looks impressive and bakery worthy but the process is surprisingly manageable once you get the hang of rolling.
02 -
- Rolling the cake while it is still warm is the single most important step because once it cools flat it will crack every time you try to bend it.
- Do not overbake the sponge by even a minute because a dry cake will crumble instead of flexing into that perfect spiral.
03 -
- If your caramel sauce is too runny, pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes before spreading so it does not ooze out the ends when you re roll.
- The ganache should be poured while still slightly warm and pourable because once it sets it cannot be spread without tearing the cake surface.