This moist and decadent Chocolate Turtle Cake with sweet Caramel Pecan topping really “takes the cake” 😉 All jokes aside, this chocolate caramel turtle cake is truly unreal. One bite and you’ll be hooked, I guarantee it!
The chocolate cake itself is studded with melted chocolate and crunchy pecans for the traditional “caramel pecan turtle” flavors. It’s so moist and fluffy however, you’d never guess that it’s a gluten and grain free chocolate cake recipe! And best yet is the sweet and crunchy caramel pecan topping, it’s delicious and gooey and the perfect compliment to this scrumptious cake.
For more chocolate pecan inspired deliciousness, check out these Salted Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars. A soft and chewy crust layered with decadent salted chocolate and buttery pecans. The sweet and salty flavors matched with the creamy and crunchy textures make these bars absolutely irresistible.
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Ingredients
Eggs – Add structure and helps the cake to rise while baking. I have not tested a vegan substitute but please comment below if you do!
Coconut Sugar – A refined sugar-free sweetener that blends perfectly with chocolate flavor of this cake and doesn’t taste like coconut!
Coconut Oil – A healthy fat that adds moisture to these cake bars. Make sure to use refined coconut oil to keep the neutral flavor (or if you don’t mind some coconut flavor, use regular!)
Almond Milk – Adds moisture, can easily be subbed with oat, cashew, or regular cow milk.
Maple Syrup – Another refined sugar free sweetener with a caramel – esc flavor profile to it.
Almond Flour – My favorite gluten free flour to bake with! Make sure to use super fine almond flour for optimal texture.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – You can also use unsweetened cacao powder. Since the flavor of this chocolate cake recipe is dependent on the brand of cocoa powder, I like to use a high-quality brand. My favorite is Rodelle’s Dutch Processed Baking Cocoa Powder.
Chocolate Chips – Adding chocolate chips into the batter adds such a rich and delicious chocolate flavor to this cake. I used the Trader Joe’s brand of semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can always sub for a chopped chocolate bar if needed.
Raw Pecans – I prefer raw pecans with no added oil, salt, or sugar to best compliment the flavors of this turtle cake that get enhanced once you roast them in oven!
How to Make Chocolate Turtle Cake
- Start by roasting the pecans. Preheat the oven to 375F and add ⅓ and ¾ cup pecans to a baking tray. Roast for 5-8 minutes (mine took 7 minutes) or until lightly browned and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- Bring the oven temperature down to 350F and line an 8” x 8” square pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine wet cake ingredients – eggs, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil, almond milk, and maple syrup. Whisk together until smooth.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda until evenly combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips and ⅓ cup of the cooled roasted pecans.
- Pour cake batter into the parchment-lined 8”x8” pan and spread in an even layer with a spatula – the batter will be thick.
- Bake at 350F for ~30-32 minutes (mine took 30 minutes), or until a knife or toothpick inserted comes out moist, but crumb-free. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before adding the caramel pecan topping.
How to Make Caramel Pecan Topping
This caramel pecan topping is truly so simple and easy. Made with a few key ingredients, it creates a sweet and salty topping unlike any other.
The first step is to refrigerate a can of full fat coconut milk ahead of time so that you can scoop off the thick white cream layer that forms overtop. The coconut cream is what makes this caramel pecan topping so thick and luscious. You can also buy straight coconut cream in a can.
If you didn’t refrigerate the coconut milk ahead of time, that’s okay! You can still scoop the coconut cream off of the top of the can with a spoon. Just make sure to only use the thick white coconut cream, and none of the clear/milky liquid.
Then it’s as simple as:
- Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down to low / medium low and simmer for 9-12 minutes, whisking frequently to ensure caramel doesn’t burn. Remove from the heat once the vegan caramel is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the remaining ¾ cup of roasted pecans and set aside the topping to cool before topping the cake.
Roasted Pecans
The key to amplifying any and all recipes containing nuts … is to roast them. I know it’s an extra step but I promise it’s super simple and the flavor is absolutely worth it. For this chocolate turtle cake in particular, roasting the pecans brings out the rich & nutty flavors that pair oh so well with the chocolate & caramel.
The only note to be aware of is that the nuts you’re using are raw. Lots of brands will pre-roast the nuts which defeats the purpose of this step. Make sure to use raw pecans (nuts) without added oils or sugar, roasting these fresh will create the best flavor!
Last tip, I’ll usually roast a few handfuls extra to save for myself. Try sprinkling roasted pecans on your next yogurt or oatmeal bowl and thank me later. So dang delicious and adds the perfect crunch.
Okay but wait, What is a Chocolate Turtle Cake?
If you’ve been reading this post thinking to yourself, “why does she keep saying ‘turtle'” … let me explain. Regardless of your age, you’ve probably seen the old school, traditional caramel turtle candies whether you knew what they were or not. The gooey fudgy ‘turtle candy’ is made of caramel, pecans, and chocolate to make a deliciously rich sweet treat.
Over the years I’ve seen many variations of those turtle candy flavors made into different forms. I myself have made truffles, brownies, and now a cake all inspired by the three flavors!
As for the “turtle” part of the name, the original turtle candies kind of looked like a turtle … and thus the name stuck. Now it’s a reference to the flavor combos and pays homage to the OG creation.
More Caramel Pecan Desserts
As mentioned above, I’ve also made truffles and brownies inspired by the delicious combination of caramel, chocolate, and pecans.
Fudgy Vegan Turtle Brownies – A no-bake brownie base gets topped with chocolate turtle caramel and finished with a silky layer of homemade ganache. Three layers of absolute deliciousness!
Vegan Chocolate Turtle Truffles – A sweet and fudgy pecan center is coated with a smooth chocolate outside. The chocolate coating has a melt-in-your-mouth texture while the center is creamy with bits of crunch from the oven roasted pecans.
If you try any of these recipes, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you, and it also helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST Chocolate Turtle Caramel Pecan Cake 🙂
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup coconut sugar packed
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted + cooled
- ¼ cup almond milk
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 cups super fine blanched almond flour packed (as you would with brown sugar)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup raw pecans rough chopped
Caramel Pecan Topping:
- ¾ cup coconut cream from a full fat can of coconut milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¾ cup raw pecans rough chopped
Instructions
- Start by roasting the pecans. Preheat the oven to 375F and add ⅓ and ¾ cup pecans to a baking tray. Roast for 5-8 minutes (mine took 7 minutes) or until lightly browned and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
- Bring the oven temperature down to 350F and line an 8” x 8” square pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine wet cake ingredients – eggs, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil, almond milk, and maple syrup. Whisk together until combined.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda until evenly combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips and ⅓ cup of the cooled roasted pecans.
- Pour cake batter into the parchment-lined 8”x8” pan and spread in an even layer with a spatula – the batter will be thick.
- Bake at 350F for ~30-32 minutes (mine took 30 minutes), or until a knife or toothpick inserted comes out moist, but crumb-free. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- While the cake is baking, prepare your topping. Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down to low / medium low and simmer for 9-12 minutes, whisking frequently to ensure caramel doesn’t burn. Remove from the heat once the vegan caramel is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the remaining ¾ cup of roasted pecans and set aside topping to cool.
- Once cake and topping have cooled, pour caramel pecan topping on top of the chocolate cake. Cut into 9 or 12 slices. Enjoy!
Notes
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