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Home » Cakes » Turtles Layer Cake

Turtles Layer Cake

By Olivia, 197 Comments

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Transform your favorite candy into this Turtles Layer Cake! Layers of rich chocolate cake, caramel buttercream, caramel sauce, and chopped pecans.

A cake sitting on top of a white cake stand.

We’ve been in our new place just over a week now, and it’s finally starting to feel a bit less chaotic and a bit more like home — some rooms, anyhow. I was super nervous about the kitchen aside from the appliances, as it’s basically a 1989 original. It’s in good shape considering its age, but it’s a far cry from the modern kitchens these days. So I baked up a batch of my favourite chocolate chip cookies to test the setup and the oven. I’ve made those cookies so many times that I know exactly how they should turn out.

I actually struggled with them for the past 3 years, as our previous place had a gas oven. I can now say with confidence that I will never use a gas oven again. EVER. I love a gas cooktop (and miss it), but the inconsistency of the gas oven is horrible for baking. This was proven the other day when I baked up the cookies in an electric oven and they turned out better than they have in years.

Close up of the drips on the side of the cake.

The kitchen was actually quite pleasant to bake in. I have a separate “pantry” section for all my baking needs, so it doesn’t feel as cramped as I thought it would. The kitchen sink leaves a lot to be desired (small/cramped), but all in all the kitchen is pretty functional.

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We still have a bunch of boxes (most empty) in the basement, but the main floor is done and some of the upstairs. I haven’t touched my photography room yet though. I’m kinda procrastinating it because I don’t really know where to start. It’s a huge mess right now and I need to put up some shelving and a table, etc. I have to get that done next week because I’ve only got so many recipes in the backlog! Like this Turtles Layer Cake.

Angled shot of the cake.

This Turtles Layer Cake is another one of Ryan’s suggestions. I can always count on him to come up with crazy and delicious ideas. Turtles happen to be my favourite chocolate candy, so it really only made sense to make a cake version, naturally, keeping in line with my never-ending desire to turn other desserts into cakes. Because everything is better as a cake!

Shot of the rosettes on top of the cake.

In true Olivia fashion, I did more to this Turtles Layer Cake than I should have, and I’m not totally happy with how it turned out. I mean, it looks GOOD, but it looked BETTER before I added the frosting rosettes and mini-Turtles on top.

Cross-section of the cake.

See, caramel doesn’t set as well as ganache. I had these perfect, and I mean PERFECT, alternating drips and a smooth top going. It was a stunner. But I had some leftover buttercream and wanted to incorporate the mini-Turtles into the cake, so I took it a bit further. Big mistake. The weight of it all started pushing the caramel down the sides and the rosettes literally started sliding down the cake. So much so that one actually slid off and I had to redo it (it’s in the back so you wouldn’t see it in the pics).

I was in a mad rush to take these pics so that the rest of the cake wouldn’t end up a complete disaster. As such, I hate the pics too, and literally re-edited them 3 whole times (countless hours). I keep telling myself that no one will notice the imperfections and no one knows what it looked like “before” so who cares. Except now I’ve told you, and you totally know.

A piece of cake on a plate

So, if you make this cake, I would recommend skipping the rosettes and Turtles on top. Or at least just do one or the other. I think it was actually the Turtles that did me in. Those suckers are dense.

A piece of chocolate cake on a plate

Cake decorating issues aside, this is one seriously delicious cake. If you’re a Turtles fan (and really, who isn’t?), you will love it! Dense chocolate cake with caramel buttercream and caramel sauce between the layers, and chopped up pecans for some crunch. Pure decadence.

Notes & tips for this Turtles Layer Cake:

  • Adding rosettes and Turtles will cause the caramel to slide down more. I recommend skipping this step.
  • To enhance the chocolate flavour of the cake, you can use strong hot coffee instead of hot water.
  • For the ganache, I let mine set overnight (with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface). It will be too thick at this point, so I microwave it for 10 secs and stir it until it’s the right consistency.
  • The drip technique works best on a chilled cake so that the drips set quickly.
  • To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, see my tips here.
A cake sitting on top of a white cake stand.
Print Rate
4.86 from 27 votes

Turtles Layer Cake

Transform your favorite candy into this Turtles Layer Cake! Layers of rich chocolate cake, caramel buttercream, caramel sauce, and chopped pecans.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cake
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 909kcal
Author Olivia

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup hot water
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Caramel:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 150 ml heavy whipping cream room temperature
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 100g, room temperature

Milk Chocolate Ganache:

  • 4.5 oz milk chocolate good quality, finely chopped
  • 3 oz heavy whipping cream

Caramel Buttercream:

  • 5 large egg whites
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups unsalted butter cubed, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup caramel cooled

Assembly:

  • 1 cup pecans chopped
  • 6 Turtles Minis
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350F, grease three 6" round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
  • Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
  • In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour hot water in slowly as not to cook the eggs if very hot).
  • Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
  • Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
  • Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean. A total of 30-35mins.

Caramel:

  • Place sugar and water into a medium pot, stir to combine, but to not stir from this point forward. Cook over high heat, washing down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush dipped in water as needed to prevent crystals.
  • Cook until desired color of caramel is reached and immediately remove from heat. Very slowly, whisk in heavy cream. The mixture will bubble up (a lot) and boil. Add butter, return to heat, and bring back to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes whisking constantly.
  • Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a container and place in fridge to thicken.*

Milk Chocolate Ganache:

  • Place chopped chocolate and cream into a microwave safe bowl. Stir to combine. Microwave for 20 seconds, stir. Microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and silky. Set aside to cool completely before using.*

Caramel Buttercream:

  • Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.**
  • Place bowl over a hot water bath on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins).
  • Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
  • Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add cubed butter and mix until smooth.
  • Add cooled caramel and whip until smooth.***

Assembly:

  • Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving dish. Top with about 2/3 cup buttercream, drizzle with caramel and ganache and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Repeat with remaining layers. Crumb coat the outside and chill cake for 15mins. Frost and smooth the outside, chill for 30mins.
  • Using a teaspoon, drip ganache along the edges then fill in the top. Chill for 15mins.
  • Repeat with caramel and chill for 30mins.
  • If desired, top with rosettes and mini Turtles.****

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Notes

* The ganache and caramel can be made the day before and left in the fridge overnight. Place plastic wrap directly onto the surface of each to prevent a skin from forming.
** Ensure there is NO trace of egg yolks in your whites and that your mixer bowl and whisk is completely grease free or your meringue won't stiffen.
*** The buttercream may look like it's curdled at some point. Keep mixing until it is completely smooth.
**** Adding rosettes and Turtles will cause the caramel to slide down more. I recommend skipping this step.
Calories: 909kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 7gFat: 62gSaturated Fat: 36gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 425mgPotassium: 289mgFiber: 3gSugar: 71gVitamin A: 1545IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 2.2mg
The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.

Photo collage.

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September 11, 2016

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    Recipe Rating




  1. DeeDee Bryans says

    April 11, 2021 at 7:30 AM

    I am excited to make this for my son’s 40th birthday. Wow! I would like to make 3-8” layers. If I make 1.5 recipes will this be enough? And should I do the same for frosting, etc.? Thank you so much for answering another question! 😊

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 12, 2021 at 9:58 AM

      Hi DeeDee! So nice to hear from you. For the cake specifically, I would 1.5x this recipe: https://livforcake.com/chocolate-cake-recipe/ That will make sure your layers are nice and tall. You could use this one too but the layers will bake up thinner than I have here so it just depends. For either one, you can change the Servings to 18 to get the amounts. I would 1.5x everything to make sure you have enough. Let me know how it turns out 🙂

      Reply
  2. Trish says

    March 22, 2021 at 6:36 PM

    Hello! I only currently have cake/pastry flour, is that okay instead of AP flour?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 23, 2021 at 9:32 AM

      Hi Trish! Normally I’d say yes but I haven’t tried it myself with this chocolate cake batter. The batter is very thin and rises a lot. You can give it a try with cake flour but the cake may be a bit delicate.

      Reply
  3. Theresa says

    January 27, 2021 at 11:44 AM

    Hi how deep are the 6″ cake pans

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 27, 2021 at 3:52 PM

      Hi Theresa! Mine are all 2″ tall.

      Reply
  4. Hanna says

    January 23, 2021 at 2:03 PM

    Made it. Love it. Super moist. Everyone loved it.
    I’m enjoying all the other cakes you’ve made as well. Love the artistry, and I love you curse like I do while baking. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 25, 2021 at 10:08 AM

      Hi Hanna! Thanks so much, I’m so happy you loved it 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you make next!

      Reply
  5. Sophia says

    January 10, 2021 at 4:54 AM

    4 stars
    I made this cake for my dad’s birthday and it turned out really nice. I made the sauces and cakes and then assembled them the next day. I wouldn’t do this next time though, the cake ended up a little dry and my caramel was too hard so, I had to heat it. Overall I really liked this recipe.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 11, 2021 at 10:09 AM

      Hi Sophia! So glad you liked it 🙂 The cake should stay quite moist for at least a few days. Is it possible it was overbaked a bit?

      Reply
  6. Lorraine says

    January 4, 2021 at 9:10 PM

    Hi Liv!

    Curious if you know how this cake would turn out if I used Bob’s Red Mill GF 1 to 1 Baking Flour? I’ve been experimenting lately with GF baking as my brother in law (who is my biggest fan of baked goods) was recently diagnosed with Celiacs.

    PS LOVE all your recipes!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 5, 2021 at 9:34 AM

      Hi Lorraine! I haven’t tried it myself but it should work totally fine! Let me know how it turns out 🙂

      Reply
      • Lorraine Kelly says

        January 11, 2021 at 10:32 AM

        5 stars
        WOW!! This cake was ahh-mazing! I was a little concerned about using the GF flour, but it could not have turned out any better! I made the GF version for my birthday (figured I bake for everyone else, so why not?) because my brother in law, who has celiacs and is a huge fan of desserts, was going to celebrate with us. He couldn’t believe it was GF and tasted that good. We were all amazed to be honest! Thanks so much for not only this recipe, but for all of your recipes!!

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          January 14, 2021 at 2:47 PM

          Hi Lorraine! I am so happy you loved it and that the GF version turned out great. Thanks so much for the feedback!

          Reply
  7. Salma says

    December 16, 2020 at 11:25 PM

    Hi Liv, hope you’re doing well.

    I want to make a cake inspired by this beautiful baby, but with a few differences: two tiers, filled with ganache, then frosted (after damming with) caramel buttercream. I don’t think I’ll drizzle the leftover caramel sauce and ganache on the outside. The cake will be decorated with fresh flowers, so those will be served on the side if anyone wants to drizzle them on their slices.

    So my question is- will it work if I fill the cakes with ganache and crumb coat with the buttercream, then freeze? I’d then complete the frosting and decorating later. I’ve done this with american buttercream, and have also separately frozen your caramel buttercream, both with great results. Just not sure the buttercream would defrost nicely on the cake without getting wonky.

    I hope you see this in time!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 17, 2020 at 9:25 AM

      Hi Salma! Yes, that will be totally fine! Should work no problem. Let me know how it goes 🙂

      Reply
      • Salma says

        December 17, 2020 at 6:51 PM

        Hey, thanks so much for answering! Just one more thing. I’ve now decided to make one of the tiers all caramel BC, so it’ll be completely filled and frosted with it.
        I feel like an idiot for asking this, but just confirming from the expert… That’s ok too, right?

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          December 18, 2020 at 2:27 PM

          Hi Salma! Yes, that should be totally fine!

          Reply
  8. Gwwenda says

    November 25, 2020 at 12:13 PM

    I put my frosting in the fridge until I got ready to use it and now its oily, It was perfect when I put it in there but now its like yuck, Can I salvage it?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 25, 2020 at 1:45 PM

      Hi Gwwenda! It sounds like it needs a good rewhip! Be sure it’s completely at room temperature. It is totally saveable. Here’s a post with all my tips and troubleshooting: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/

      Reply
  9. Chloe King says

    November 19, 2020 at 4:42 PM

    If I want to use 2×8” Tins, will the measurements already used be okay?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 19, 2020 at 5:33 PM

      Hi Chloe! Yes, the recipe should work for two 8″ tins. The layers will be slightly thinner so you may have to reduce the baking time.

      Reply
  10. Anne C Rosenberger says

    November 10, 2020 at 1:48 PM

    I’m planning on making this for my sister’s birthday (it sounds WONDERFUL). I’m going to need to transport it to my mother’s house…90 minutes away. Dare I freeze the finished cake before I transport it?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 11, 2020 at 4:25 PM

      Hi Anne! The only issue you might have with freezing it is that the chocolate ganache drip will crack. It would certainly help ensure a smoother transport though! At the very least, make sure the cake is well chilled and that the heat isn’t on in the car 🙂

      Reply
  11. Ryan says

    October 28, 2020 at 4:53 PM

    I was thinking of making cupcakes that match the cake. Would the same cake recipe work?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 29, 2020 at 4:07 PM

      Hi Ryan! Yes, it should work fine as cupcakes. Just don’t fill them more than half full as the batter rises a lot. Start checking them at about 15mins or so.

      Reply
  12. Jake says

    October 25, 2020 at 6:05 PM

    I just started making this cake and I made the Carmel and it is very cloudy and light color and doesn’t taste like Carmel more like a werthers hard carmel I don’t know what I did wrong

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 26, 2020 at 9:36 AM

      Hi Jake! I have a detailed tutorial on caramel here: https://livforcake.com/caramel-sauce-recipe/

      Reply
  13. Thomas says

    October 21, 2020 at 6:40 AM

    Can I just use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch processed?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 21, 2020 at 11:28 AM

      Hi Thomas! Yes, that should be fine.

      Reply
  14. Kati says

    October 20, 2020 at 9:22 AM

    Any chance you know the conversions for sugar free sugars? I have a diabetic friend who would love this cake!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 21, 2020 at 11:24 AM

      Hi Kati! It might depend on the type of sugar. I know Swerve (which is a popular option) you use cup for cup like sugar. This won’t work for the frosting though and I’m not sure about the caramel, but should work fine for the cake.

      Reply
  15. Thomas says

    October 20, 2020 at 3:07 AM

    I definitely found doing the caramel the night before but then leaving the chocolate in the morning very beneficial. Doing the ganache before the buttercream and then banging in the fridge meant that it firmed you the perfect consistency!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 20, 2020 at 8:57 AM

      Hi Thomas! Awesome, thanks for your tips and feedback! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Ashley says

    October 8, 2020 at 7:49 AM

    4 stars
    Made this for my husbands birthday. Very good but personally thought the buttercream called for to much butter. The meringue tasted good I gradually added butter as called for once I was done I felt the buttercream had the consistency and taste of mostly butter. Will probably cut the butter to 1 cup next time I make this. Overall tasted great once cake was put together!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 8, 2020 at 9:47 AM

      Hi Ashley! So happy you loved it! This buttercream is definitely more buttery than a typical American buttercream, but it shouldn’t taste or feel like you’re eating butter. If so, it probably just needed a bit more whipping.

      Reply
  17. Melissa Machiskinic says

    October 6, 2020 at 1:11 PM

    Hi can I double this recipe I am making Swiss meringue butter cream today for the first timeim so nervous I am a home baker my late mom taught me everything I know u have any advice

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 6, 2020 at 3:55 PM

      Hi Melissa! Technically you can double it but you would need a very large mixer to be able to hold the volume — at least a 6qt maybe more. If it’s your first time I would just stick to the recipe as-is if possible and be sure to read my detailed tips and troubleshooting here: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/

      Reply
  18. Melissa machiskinic says

    October 5, 2020 at 9:12 PM

    Can I use prepared caramel

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 6, 2020 at 10:21 AM

      Hi Melissa! Yes, that should be fine.

      Reply
  19. Melissa Jarabek says

    September 18, 2020 at 5:19 PM

    5 stars
    I made this for my boyfriends birthday and it was a huge hit! I doubled the recipe for using 3 x 9″ pans and it worked out perfectly. I didn’t put pecans in the layers as I was not sure how picky all the kids would be and that was a good call!

    I made this a day ahead so not to be rushed for the dinner and the only thing I would change would have been to take the cake out of the fridge that morning or just ice it the day of to keep that creamy whipped icing texture. It was firmer than I would have liked because it hadn’t had the time to get to room temp.

    To work around any issues with things sliding off, I just did the drip around the edges and added the rosettes with a pecan in each on on the top. Still have to work on my drip technique too but no one cared with all that lovely caramel and chocolate ganache!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 21, 2020 at 10:15 AM

      Hi Melissa! So happy you guys love this one. Thanks for all your tips and feedback!

      Reply
  20. Sonika says

    August 22, 2020 at 12:37 AM

    Nice cake !!!!! great idea for any occasion ;thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 24, 2020 at 10:30 AM

      Thank you Sonika!

      Reply
  21. Amanda says

    August 17, 2020 at 2:06 PM

    909,000 calories? Is that right?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 17, 2020 at 3:42 PM

      Hi Amanda! No, it’s 909 cal per slice.

      Reply
  22. Eileen Plageman says

    July 28, 2020 at 9:48 AM

    I made this because my 26 yr old daughter replied, jokingly (she loves turtle candy) she wanted a “turtle cake”. I had no idea what I would think of to find or create. Your recipe was a total success and step by step perfect. It was easy and fun to make and the cake results beautiful. I have never made such an impressive & very tasty cake as yours.
    Thank you for sharing this recipe. Everyone was raving about the taste & texture : deep hearty creamy textures with variety, chocolate, carmel with the buttercream.
    Can’t wait to make it again !
    This is a cake you totally can’t fuss with the calories ! It is fresh and well thought out and ment for special occasions. Can’t eat this cake every day, yet one you will not forget !!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 28, 2020 at 4:31 PM

      Hi Eileen! Thank you so much for the amazing feedback! So happy everyone loved it 🙂

      Reply
  23. Karin says

    June 22, 2020 at 9:39 AM

    Making this for my daughter’s birthday and want to create a “cat” cake (like a unicorn cake). I think it might look better if I used 9″ pans instead to have more room to decorate. Do you think that would work with the same quantities?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 22, 2020 at 9:41 AM

      Hi Karin! For 9″ pans I would double the recipe.

      Reply
      • Karin says

        June 22, 2020 at 10:55 AM

        I don’t really want double the cake, though 🙂 Would the same amount work in the 9″ pans or should I stick with this 6″? Was hoping for a wider surface area.

        Reply
        • C says

          August 6, 2020 at 7:31 PM

          The same amount wouldn’t work because of the greater volume of batter needed in the pan. If you used 9-inch pans you would only get 1 full cake layer. You have to double the recipe in order to get it to work with 9 or 8 inch pans.

          Reply
  24. Olivia says

    June 8, 2020 at 11:41 AM

    Hi there,

    Thinking of making this cake and just wondering how many grams or mls per cup for the cake recipe?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 8, 2020 at 2:42 PM

      Hi Olivia! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients 🙂

      Reply
  25. Jocelyn says

    May 5, 2020 at 3:54 PM

    It it possible with this recipe to just use 2 6-inch pans by halving the whole recipe. I know the layers would be thinner but would I then have to change the baking time? Also, sorry for all the questions about substitutions, but could I substitute the caramel for dulce de leche i’ve already made at home? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 6, 2020 at 10:03 AM

      Hi Jocelyn! You could totally do that and yes, reduce the baking time. Or you could 2/3rds the recipe (change the Servings to 8) and bake for the time specified in the recipe. And yes for using DDL instead. It’s thicker though so won’t work as well on the drip, but will be fine in the buttercream.

      Reply
  26. Elsiana Zhaka says

    April 8, 2020 at 7:22 AM

    Hello! I will be attempting to make this cake for my fiancee’s birthday. I am hoping to make a few things like a week in advance… would I be able to make any of the items ahead of time so to not be doing it on the actual day of his birthday?

    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 8, 2020 at 1:33 PM

      Hi Elsiana! Yes! You can make all of the elements in advance:

      For the Cake: Cool the layers, double wrap in plastic wrap, freeze for up to 3 mos. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
      For the Caramel: Cool completely and place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for a week or freeze for up to 3 mos.
      For the Frosting: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for 1 week for freeze for 3 mos. Bring to room temp and rewhip before using.

      Reply
      • Elsiana Zhaka says

        April 13, 2020 at 5:54 PM

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
      • Elsiana Zhaka says

        April 16, 2020 at 4:33 AM

        Hi Olivia

        seems I destroyed my caramel. I put in the microwave after taking it out of the fridge and the caramel separated. Any advice??

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          April 16, 2020 at 10:36 AM

          Hi Elsiana! This can happen if the caramel goes through dramatic temperature shifts — like from the fridge and then heated too hot. I would put it in a pot on the stove and try to warm it while stirring to see if it will come together again.

          Reply
    • Unmei says

      April 25, 2020 at 7:51 PM

      5 stars
      I made one mistake… I didn’t properly follow directions for the butter cream. Is there anyway I can fix it

      Reply
      • Olivia says

        April 26, 2020 at 4:18 PM

        Hi Unmei! What did you do differently? Have a read through this post for all my tips: https://livforcake.com/swiss-meringue-buttercream-recipe/

        Reply
  27. Karin says

    February 19, 2020 at 9:27 AM

    I would love to make this, but for six servings instead of 12. Would halfing the recipe work if I maybe didn’t bake the cakes as long?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 19, 2020 at 9:05 PM

      Hi Karin! Yes, that would work. You could use less pans or smaller ones or just go with thinner layers 🙂

      Reply
  28. CV says

    December 25, 2019 at 6:33 PM

    Well I made the Rum Eggnog Bundt cake for our family dinner dessert tonight, it was a hit. Also, I made the Turtles layer cake and gifted it to one of our aunts at the dinner. Turtles candy are her absolute favorite and this cake hit the jackpot for her. So I did put the rosettes and the turtle candies on top, except the cake was two 8” rounds. I sat the rosettes on top of the toasted pecans and prayed they would survive the one hour drive.

    Thank you for sharing your recipes with all of us!!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 26, 2019 at 10:14 AM

      Hi CV! Thanks so much for your feedback! I’m so happy you liked them 🙂

      Reply
  29. acg says

    December 19, 2019 at 6:01 PM

    5 stars
    omg… can I tell you I love you for coming clean on this cake.? It is absolutely beautiful. I so feel for your mad rush for beautiful pics. lol. I may have to try this beautiful cake… but I will heed your advice. Wish me luck!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 20, 2019 at 3:13 PM

      Hi there! Thank you! And I hope you love this one as much as I do 🙂 Good luck!

      Reply
  30. April Mederios says

    October 18, 2019 at 10:57 AM

    5 stars
    I volunteered to make the cake for my friend’s 50th. This is the cake I will be trying! Because I don’t think a 6 inch cake will cut into 20 pieces I am going to make it in two 8 inch…wish me luck!. I also heard that simple sugar makes a cake even moister, so I made a chocolate simple syrup that I will be putting on the cake layers before I frost…again with the wishing! 🙂 I’ll let you all know!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 21, 2019 at 9:05 AM

      Hi April! I hope you love it as much as I do, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂

      Reply
  31. Elissa says

    September 19, 2019 at 3:46 AM

    5 stars
    This looks sooo good!! I’m going to try making this for my friend’s birthday next month 🙂 Can I use 7-inch cake pans instead of 6-inch ones?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 19, 2019 at 1:50 PM

      Hi Elissa! You can for sure but the layers will be a bit thinner so you’ll need to reduce the baking time a bit.

      Reply
  32. Selma says

    September 3, 2019 at 12:22 PM

    Hi, can I use store bought caramel instead of making my own? I have a newborn and need shortcuts!
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 4, 2019 at 10:18 AM

      Hi Selma! Yes, that should be fine for the buttercream, but I’m not sure it would drip as pretty (might be too thin).

      Reply
  33. Mary says

    August 23, 2019 at 5:23 AM

    Oh my gosh…this cake was the bomb. I hacked a little because I used box cake and dipping carmel. But this cake was delicious. I am a carmel freak. First time I ever tried the dripping technique and it turned out great. Not as pretty as yours of course but for me it was great. Everyone loved it thank you for great idea. I will send you a pic.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 23, 2019 at 10:34 AM

      Hi Mary! So glad everyone loved it! Definitely send a pic my way 🙂

      Reply
  34. Thea says

    June 17, 2019 at 12:32 AM

    Good morning, I have a question about the butter in the caramel. It says 1/2 cup, but also 100g. However, when converted to metric, 1/2c butter=113grams. Which one did you use?

    Reply
    • Thea says

      June 17, 2019 at 12:37 AM

      I was also wondering, if your cups are smaller and 1/2c=100grams, then the rest of the metric measurements are affected as well?

      Reply
      • Olivia says

        June 18, 2019 at 2:01 PM

        No, the cups aren’t smaller. I converted the recipe from metric to cups which is why I had to round up a bit.

        Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 18, 2019 at 2:00 PM

      Hi Thea! Good question! I’ve actually done it with both. These days I use 1/2 cup (113g) because I don’t bother with my scale. It’s a minimal difference though so is fine either way.

      Reply
      • Thea says

        June 25, 2019 at 2:39 AM

        5 stars
        The cake was chocolatey, moist yet sturdy! The buttercream was tasty and velvety, I followed your other video since it was my first time making Swiss meringue buttercream, and I found it very straightforward. You give great advise and instructions, thank you!

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          June 25, 2019 at 9:42 AM

          Hi Thea! So glad you liked this recipe!

          Reply
  35. Caroline says

    June 1, 2019 at 3:23 PM

    5 stars
    This cake recipe was fantastic! I turned it into a twix cake by not adding in the pecans and turtles and instead chopped up twix and put them between the layers, on top and a bit on the sides. I also whipped the caramel and the frosting together with a wooden spoon instead which gave the frosting a great textured look.
    This cake sounds like a lot of sugar (which it undoubtedly is!) but it really did not taste that way. I was a little worried about doing a caramel frosting because of how sugary that sounded but with the amount of caramel it asks you to add in, it is not over powering at all. The cakes were also nice a moist! The chocolate gauche was a bit tricky to drip down the cake because it can’t be too hot when it is poured down. but the caramel stayed a nice liquid consistency for drizzling, just be patient with the chocolate.
    Definitely the best cake I have made thus far

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      June 3, 2019 at 2:31 PM

      Hi Caroline! Thanks for all your tips and suggestions — I love the caramel textured sounding frosting! I have to try that. So glad you loved the recipe as much as I do 🙂

      Reply
  36. Kimberly Floyd says

    May 2, 2019 at 8:25 AM

    This cake is awesome! I doubled this recipe and made my own 9 inch, 4-layer birthday cake with some big twists in the decorations. It was my first time making a meringue based frosting so I was really nervous but it luckily came out very well. This cake was delicious; literally gone in 2 days! Thanks for sharing! *A note for others, I used Hersheys special dark chocolate cocoa and it was delish!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 6, 2019 at 12:53 PM

      Hi Kimberley! Thanks for your tips, I’m so glad you loved this cake!

      Reply
  37. Denise says

    April 23, 2019 at 3:02 PM

    I do not have access to Dutch process cocoa where I live. Crazy right?!?! Can I substitute Natural cocoa powder for the Dutch cocoa?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 26, 2019 at 1:05 PM

      Hi Denise! Natural will work just fine 🙂

      Reply
  38. Salma says

    April 14, 2019 at 11:22 AM

    Hi Liv. I made this for a birthday recently, with one small change. I had some caramel frosting left over from your Salted Caramel Cake, so instead of making a full new batch, I used it only for the outside. The layers were filled with chocolate buttercream, along with ganache and caramel sauce like you suggested.

    Due to the heat here (and my cake decorating, er, skills), my cake looked noTHing like your beauty. However, it tasted wOW. So once again, thank you!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 16, 2019 at 1:37 PM

      Hi Salma! I’m sure it looked just wonderful and the most important part is that it tasted delicious!

      Reply
  39. Cass says

    February 26, 2019 at 8:43 PM

    Hi there!
    Just made this chocolate cake tonight and it smells amazing 😍
    I did use an 8 inch cake pan- but the cake only rose up maybe an inch? Any ideas as to why the cakes would be so flat?
    Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 27, 2019 at 3:43 PM

      Hi Cass! The layers will bake up slightly thinner layers in 8″ pans, but should be about 1.5″ or so. If you want thicker layers, I recommend this recipe (https://livforcake.com/chocolate-cake-recipe/) for the cake. It’s virtually the same, just makes for thicker layers — they should bake up to be about 2″ tall.

      Another thing to check is your baking soda/powder to make sure it’s not expired. If it fizzes when you add some vinegar to it, it’s fine. I dump some in the kitchen sink and drizzle vinegar and look for bubbles — no clean up that way!

      Reply
  40. Sharon says

    January 30, 2019 at 10:22 PM

    5 stars
    Thankyou sooo much for this wonderful recipe…. i have made this over n over again… still nt enough…😍😍😍😍. Chocolate cake is my favourite of all…. so well balanced with all the cream caremel n ganache 😋

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 31, 2019 at 10:12 AM

      Hi Sharon! Thanks for your feedback, I’m so glad you love it! It’s been ages since I had it, I must make it again 🙂

      Reply
  41. Cinnamon says

    January 15, 2019 at 10:53 AM

    Hi Olivia,

    Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us! Your cake looks AMAZING. I’m planning to make this for myself as a birthday cake with the exception of using 3 9-inch pans. Would you suggest multiplying the batter and caramel buttercream recipes by 1.75 or 2? I read one of your replies to another commenter that suggested multiplying by 1.5/increasing the serving size to 18 for 3 8-inch pans but just thought I would ask. I can’t wait to try this!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 15, 2019 at 1:10 PM

      Hi Cinnamon! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here’s a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html I would double the recipe to be safe.

      Reply
  42. Dee says

    November 6, 2018 at 3:38 PM

    I am wondering if you can increase the recipe to be 8 or 9 inch pans rather than 6 inch? I don’t think 6 inch will be large enough for my group!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 7, 2018 at 2:05 PM

      Hi Dee! You can use the recipe as is in two 8″ or 1.5x it for three 8″.

      Reply
      • Ghalia says

        November 12, 2018 at 4:03 AM

        5 stars
        Is the frosting recpie enough for the 3 8inch cake? Or should i double The batch ?

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          November 13, 2018 at 2:04 PM

          Hi Ghalia! I would 1.5x the frosting recipe to make sure you have enough.

          Reply
          • Deedee says

            November 18, 2018 at 11:10 PM

            5 stars
            What do you mean 1.5 X the frosting… Sorry cake noob.
            Also you said this recipe is good for a 8 inch cake tin… How man cakes will it make…
            Thank you 😃

          • Olivia says

            November 19, 2018 at 5:26 PM

            Hi Deedee! the recipe as is works for two 8″ layers or you can 1.5x the whole recipe (adjust the Servings slider to 18 to see the new ratios) for three 8″ pans.

  43. Jessica says

    November 1, 2018 at 8:23 AM

    5 stars
    Hi olivia! Made this cake last week and it was perfect although the buttercream had a weird consistency it worked out just fine. I made the buttercream yesterday with the exact same ingredients I did before and it was too runny couldn’t use it at all. I want to know where did I go wrong? Hope you can help me. Amazing cake btw! 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 1, 2018 at 12:06 PM

      Hi Jessica! Was your meringue completely stiff before adding the butter? If so I suspect it was still a bit too warm or the butter too soft. Pop it in the fridge for 20mins and rewhip and it will come together!

      Reply
  44. DH says

    October 24, 2018 at 5:31 PM

    5 stars
    I made this cake for my daughter’s 13th birthday. She is the baker in the family so I really wanted to make something nice for her since I don’t usually make desserts at all. I followed your instructions exactly and (though it took me much longer than 3 hours because baking is not really my forte) it turned out wonderfully. My daughter and her friends absolutely loved it. It was delicious and a showstopper (even without the decorative rosettes on top, though I was able to balance the Turtles on top without a problem, I just put them a bit away from the edge).

    Thank you for the tip on measuring your ingredients to make for easy division (I would have never thought of that). And thank you for the simple swiss meringue buttercream instructions which made for a delicious icing. I also really appreciate your comments to others reminding them that baking powder expires. Mine was about to expire in 2 days so i made sure to buy fresh baking powder.

    Because this cake was so delicious, my daughter tells me she has committed to making 48 cupcakes for the Halloween dance coming up next week….I know I will have enough icing because your recipe made a lot but I am not sure how to convert the baking time. Any ideas? Again, thank you for this wonderful recipe.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 25, 2018 at 11:09 AM

      Hi there! I am so happy to hear that you (and your daughter) liked this recipe and that you found it useful and easy to follow 🙂 The recipe should work totally fine as cupcakes, just start checking them around 15mins or so (depending on size). Let me know how they turn out!!

      Reply
  45. Megan says

    September 22, 2018 at 10:40 AM

    5 stars
    I made this for my parents’ birthday party and it was the best cake I, or anyone at the party, has ever tasted. I received numerous complements and people were stunned that I made it from scratch. Thank you for the recipe, I will definitely be making this one again. 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 27, 2018 at 1:40 PM

      That is such a huge compliment, thank you Megan! So happy to hear that everyone liked it 🙂

      Reply
  46. Natalie says

    September 19, 2018 at 8:04 PM

    I made this cake for my Grammy’s birthday today! I love the recipe and so did everyone else at the party! Thanks so much (:

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 20, 2018 at 2:28 PM

      So glad everyone liked it!

      Reply
  47. Maria del Mar says

    July 6, 2018 at 12:32 AM

    Good morning:
    I would love to make recipe for turtle layer cake but I am from Spain I do not control the ingredients in cups, that is when you put 1 and a half cups of something for example flour, how many grams does it correspond? so the whole recipe. I control grams and I do not know how to convert it. I would appreciate it as I can calculate it. Thank you very much.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 10, 2018 at 9:19 AM

      Hi Maria! At the bottom of the list of ingredients you can switch to Metric to get the grams 🙂

      Reply
  48. Lidiya says

    March 30, 2018 at 12:10 PM

    Yum! I want to make this cake for Easter. I was thinking instead of using homemade Carmel sauce I would buy Carmel squares and melt them with heavy whipping cream. Would this work better? Also can I soak the layers with a simple syrup or would that be a bit much?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      April 2, 2018 at 3:03 PM

      Hi Lidiya! This comment is likely too late, but yes, you can make caramel with the squares instead. I wouldnt soak the layers as this chocolate cake is already pretty moist!

      Reply
  49. Stephanie says

    March 25, 2018 at 11:34 AM

    How is the caramel sauce supposed to look. Mine looks white

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 26, 2018 at 2:55 PM

      Hi Stephanie! It sounds like you didn’t cook the sugar for long enough. It should be a nice caramel color before you add in the cream and butter.

      Reply
  50. Sarah says

    March 9, 2018 at 12:17 PM

    4 stars
    Thanks for posting this recipe. This was my first triple layer cake. I made it for my adult daughter’s birthday. We will taste it tonight. I appreciate your thorough details! It was fun to try some new baking techniques. Making caramel, ganache and the buttercream. I look forward to sharing the cake with the family tonight.

    Sarah

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      March 10, 2018 at 11:52 AM

      It was delicious and enjoyed by all!

      Reply
      • Olivia says

        March 11, 2018 at 3:46 PM

        So glad to hear that!!

        Reply
    • Olivia says

      March 11, 2018 at 3:38 PM

      Hi Sarah! I hope you all loved this cake as much as I do. Glad you were able to try out some new techniques!

      Reply
  51. Amy says

    November 30, 2017 at 5:29 PM

    Do you think you could make this cake the day before?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      December 1, 2017 at 8:38 PM

      Hi Amy! Yes, that should work fine. Just be sure to refrigerate it overnight and bring it to room temperature before serving.

      Reply
  52. Leah says

    November 7, 2017 at 1:04 PM

    This cake looks delicious! I’m hoping to make a version of this for my son’s first birthday. I’m hoping to make it two layers 16″ square. I have a cake topper to put on it, but was wondering 1) will this work as a two-layer 16″ square cake? 2) How much should I increase the recipe? 2x or 3x? 3) how long would you bake it? and 4) will a topper stick you think? Also, because it is for kids, I’m skipping the nuts… This will be my most ambitious cake yet, and I’m a little nervous! 🙂 Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 8, 2017 at 1:20 PM

      Hi Leah, Happy Birthday to your son! I’m actually not sure what the actual conversions would be, I used three 6″ cake rounds. 16″ is quite a size increase. You can check this site out for help with conversions. Let me know how it turns out!

      Reply
  53. Kyriaki says

    October 4, 2017 at 1:13 PM

    Hello. I want to ask you something. Here in Greece we do not have a heavy whipping cream. We have cream with maximum 35% fat. Do you think that cream will work for this recipe? Finally, I want to make the cake in a 10″ pan. If double the ingredients in the recipe will be ok? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 5, 2017 at 4:56 PM

      Hi Kyriaki! The cream you have should work just fine. I think the one I have is the same %. Do you want to make the cake in one 10″ pan or three of them?

      Reply
  54. TJ says

    September 21, 2017 at 6:49 PM

    5 stars
    Hey Olivia, What’s the depth of the 6″ pans? I have two 9″ they are 9*2 pans. will the cake batter the enough? and will it work cause i’m going to cut the cakes into 4 halves and frost them. Will it work?

    Trying this tomorrow.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 23, 2017 at 4:23 PM

      Hi TJ! Sorry for the delayed reply. All of my cake pans are 2″ deep. I think the layers will be a bit thinner in the 9″ pans. This recipe as is works for three 6″ and two 8″ pans (all 2″ high). If you plan to cut the layers to have 4, I worry they will be too thin. You could always try to 1.5x the recipe, just be sure to not fill the pans more than half full. The batter is thin but rises a LOT. Let me know how it turns out

      Reply
  55. Lauren says

    September 19, 2017 at 6:22 AM

    5 stars
    Ever since I’ve started following your blog, I’ve been designated the new “birthday cake maker” in our family. It’s my birthday next so making this for me lol >.<
    I'm so excited to eat this up! Thanks as always for sharing your amazing creativity and recipes xx biggest hugs from Ontario!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 19, 2017 at 3:36 PM

      Hi Lauren! Thanks so much for your sweet comment! I am sure you will LOVE this cake, it’s so flavourful and delicious. Especially if you love Turtles 🙂 Let me know how you like it and Happy early Birthday!

      Reply
  56. Elizabeth Caudill says

    September 7, 2017 at 8:03 AM

    I am going to baking 2 of these cakes for different birthday celebrations. The first I am baking tonight, wish me luck! The other will be baked the next week. I hope it will look as pretty as yours. I am taking your advice an not doing the rosettes on top as I want to impress the guests. Thank you for such a beautiful cake recipe.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 7, 2017 at 9:37 AM

      Thank you Elizabeth! Good luck and let me know how you like it 🙂

      Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        September 9, 2017 at 9:11 PM

        5 stars
        Hi Olivia,
        Just wanted to let you know the cake turned out lovely. There was a tense moment when my husband went to put the cake in the fridge to chill after putting on the ganache. Deep gouges in the top as he hit the rack. I was able to patch it and disguise the area. Emailed you a picture.
        Thanks for the lovely recipe!
        Sincerely,
        Elizabeth

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          September 10, 2017 at 10:28 AM

          Yay! I’m so glad to hear it. I hope you guys like it 🙂 Checking my email now!

          Reply
          • Elizabeth says

            September 12, 2017 at 6:48 AM

            5 stars
            Good Morning Olivia,
            I was thinking about your comment on my rosettes and yours and the trouble with them sliding on your cake. I think my stayed was because 1) I put the pecans in a wider circle and the frosting had something to grip onto, 2) I followed your suggestion about not putting the candy turtles so they didn’t weigh it down. I thought about putting some rosettes around the bottom and alternating with the candies. I think that would look pretty, but you saw my picture and know that in the end I didn’t do it, because I didn’t have them on hand. I think I will do this on the next cake and will send you a picture.

  57. Hakima says

    September 5, 2017 at 7:29 AM

    I am trying to think of a cake to make for my friends and me for our combined birthdays (our birthdays are several months apart, but we don’t all live in the same city now). And we’re all turning 30. So it’s kind of a big deal. And this looks perfect! I can almost taste it. So delicious.

    Your pics look gorgeous. I see no imperfections. And your rosettes looks amazing.

    I do have a question. I like to make some things in advance and was wondering about the caramel sauce. I know I’ll need to warm it up a bit and I don’t have a microwave, so I’ll be using a double boiler. Do you have any suggestions on how long or how warm it should be? Should I just warm it up until it’s easier to spread?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 5, 2017 at 2:49 PM

      Thanks so much Hakima! You always have such sweet things to say 🙂 Double boiler will work totally fine and yes, you just want it spreadable! You could try leaving it at room temperature for a bit to see if that loosens it up enough. For the drips though, you’ll want it a tad more on the pourable side vs. spreadable. I hope that makes sense.

      Reply
      • Hakima says

        September 7, 2017 at 8:02 AM

        I made the caramel sauce last night. First batch I think I kept it on the stove too long and it burned. Didn’t know this until I cooled it and tried it and it was quite bitter. So I tried again. Second batch was MUCH better. I ended up putting it in a mason jar and leaving it at room temperature. When I woke up this morning, the caramel sauce had thickened a lot (if I move the jar, the caramel barely moves). Should it do that, even at room temperature? Still looks and tastes like caramel.

        Wonder if this will change the cake at all? Should I remake it? What are your thoughts?

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          September 7, 2017 at 9:36 AM

          Hi Hakima! It should be thick but pourable if I remember correctly. More like a thick sauce. If it’s thicker than that, something might have been off 🙁 Are you able to pour it at all? If so, it should not change the cake, you can still add it to the buttercream and just make sure to incorporate it well. It might not work so well for the drips though — you can try heating it up a bit to see if it will thin out, but be sure to cool it to room temperature before using in the buttercream and on the cake!

          Reply
  58. Erica says

    August 20, 2017 at 6:23 AM

    Thanks for this recipe and the tips on making ganache and caramel the day before. Yesterday, I did a different recipe and it took me 6 hours even skipping the fudge frosting and opting to do a ganache drip. It turned out well but I’m pinning your recipe so I can do some things in advance next time. I also did rosettes and one dripped off but I had run out time to chill! I still love the look of your cake and think you could do rosettes with just pecans on top? Thanks, again.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      August 20, 2017 at 6:32 PM

      Hi Erica! I think the pecans would be better for sure, but I think the rosettes would still slide off — that damn caramel! It’s worth it though, still delicious even though a bit messy looking 😉 You can also bake the cake layers in advance — I almost always do. I bake them one day, cool, double wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until I’m ready to use them.

      Reply
  59. ss says

    July 20, 2017 at 11:28 AM

    Hi, I just wanted to know how this beautiful masterpiece should be stored?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 20, 2017 at 4:36 PM

      Hi! I would store it in the refrigerator and take it out 2-3 hours before serving. For longer term storage of the leftovers I usually portion into slices, wrap each in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag in the freezer.

      Reply
  60. Paulette says

    July 14, 2017 at 2:34 PM

    4 stars
    This cake is amazing!!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 14, 2017 at 4:57 PM

      Thank you Paulette!

      Reply
  61. Christina says

    July 13, 2017 at 12:22 AM

    Beautiful cake! about how many cups of caramel buttercream does this recipe make? Thank you

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 13, 2017 at 4:10 PM

      Hi Christina! I’m not 100% sure, I’ve never measured. I’d say maybe 4 cups or so?

      Reply
  62. Justtracy says

    July 8, 2017 at 4:31 PM

    I want to make this for my partners B’day, looks so yummy! I read through but maybe I missed it in the directions…how much of the caramel sauce did you use in the buttercream / how much did you reserve for the drips?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 10, 2017 at 10:13 AM

      Hi Tracy! I used 1/2 cup of the cooled caramel sauce in the buttercream. It should be listed as part of the buttercream ingredients 🙂 I hope you like this one!!

      Reply
  63. DisappointedBaker says

    July 3, 2017 at 7:26 PM

    Yeah, this was one big disaster. Despite following the directions to the “T”, the cake fell flat in the middle and was the consistancy of a stale brownie. If following this recipe, the icing turns out runny, I spread it on my (box made) cake and it ran right off onto the plate. So I’ll bet that’s why your rosettes fell off. Maybe, in the future, fine tune your recipes before posting them.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      July 5, 2017 at 3:01 PM

      If your cake fell, you either took it out before it was done or used expired baking soda/powder. If your frosting was runny, either your meringue didn’t whip up properly due to grease in the bowl/yolk in the whites or you frosted a warm cake.

      Reply
  64. Vivian says

    May 10, 2017 at 3:01 PM

    Hi Olivia,
    Can I use regular natural cocoa instead of dutch processed?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      May 10, 2017 at 3:15 PM

      Hi Vivian! That should work fine. It will affect the flavour and color slightly, but should be ok 🙂

      Reply
  65. Anne says

    February 12, 2017 at 9:39 AM

    This cake looks amazing and I look forward to making it. Can I use pasteurized egg whites that amount to equal the 5 egg whites?

    Thank you

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      February 13, 2017 at 2:20 AM

      Hi Anne! Do they come in a carton? I have had issues with whites from a carton whipping up properly before, but admittedly I only tried once. In theory, it *should* work as long as there is no trace of yolk in the whites.

      Reply
  66. Alexis says

    January 25, 2017 at 2:05 PM

    Even though it wasn’t intentional and you recommend not to put rosettes on top, I think that the aesthetic it creates with the layers sliding on the side to be more true to a “turtles” look haha. 🙂

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 25, 2017 at 8:28 PM

      Aww thanks Alexis! I think you’re right 😀

      Reply
  67. LeoGirl says

    January 8, 2017 at 12:21 PM

    5 stars
    Wow. Wow. Wow! I made this cake for a birthday party last Sunday & while it didn’t look anything like your gorgeous photo, it was a HUGE hit!!! Can’t wait to try another recipe – you, your recipes & your food photography are all amazing!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      January 8, 2017 at 1:55 PM

      Thank you so much! You just totally made my day with this comment!! I’m so glad you liked it and I can’t wait to hear about what other recipes you try 😀

      Reply
  68. Bisma says

    November 2, 2016 at 4:14 AM

    Hey!
    Do have the recipes in grams ??? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      November 2, 2016 at 9:36 AM

      Hi Bisma! I don’t have the measurements in grams, but you can find some conversion websites online. I’ve used this one before and find it works well but make sure to convert each specific ingredient individually.

      http://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/flour_volume_weight.html

      Reply
      • Bisma says

        November 2, 2016 at 10:19 AM

        Thanks loads!!
        Going to try it today!

        Reply
        • Olivia says

          November 2, 2016 at 10:37 AM

          Awesome! Let me know how it turns out 🙂

          Reply
  69. Frankie says

    October 28, 2016 at 11:05 AM

    I’m so going to make this cake!! But minus the nuts due to nut allergies. But hell ya!! Let’s bake!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 29, 2016 at 10:52 AM

      Yeah! Let me know how you like it 🙂

      Reply
  70. anna smith says

    October 28, 2016 at 5:59 AM

    Hi there. I don’t have a 6 inch cake pan will an 8 or 9 inch work?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 28, 2016 at 8:32 AM

      Hi Anna! Yes, you can make this recipe in two 8″or 9″ pans.

      Reply
  71. Sofie says

    October 26, 2016 at 10:43 PM

    Hi! I’ve been meaning to ask, can I cut the buttercream recipe in half? I’ll use 75g egg whites instead? Or is it better to use the buttercream recipe in your Mocha cake and replace the espresso and melted chocolate with caramel or dulce de leche? Thank you! You’re such an inspiration!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 28, 2016 at 8:31 AM

      Hi Sofie! You can cut the buttercream recipe in half, but then you won’t have enough to cover the cake :|. If you want less buttercream, then yes, the recipe ratios in the Mocha cake one will work as you described! 🙂

      Reply
  72. Pia says

    October 26, 2016 at 9:29 PM

    5 stars
    Hi, Olivia! Tried your cake and smbc today. Since I have dulce de leche, I used it instead of carame. lMy grandmother loved it! Thank you for your recipe! You’re so amazing! ❤

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 28, 2016 at 8:31 AM

      Hi Pia! Thank you, I’m so glad you liked it!! 😀

      Reply
  73. Leslie Barnes says

    October 21, 2016 at 8:13 PM

    5 stars
    Made it; loved it!!! My family is more restrained than I and ate as dinner dessert. I had it for breakfast, lunch and dinner 😉 Your ingredients and instructions were perfect. I am looking forward to this weekend’s chocolate chip cake!!,
    Thanks so much. Yum!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 21, 2016 at 11:31 PM

      Hi Leslie!! I’m so glad you liked this cake!! I’m seriously wishing I still had some stashed away in the freezer 😩. Hope you like the chocolate chip one too!!

      Reply
  74. anna says

    October 17, 2016 at 9:04 AM

    Beautiful cake! If you make the caramel and ganache the day before, you make the cake, do you have to warm them up to use them? If so, how long?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 17, 2016 at 9:17 AM

      Hi Anna! Yes, you need to warm them up. I usually do 10 second bursts in the microwave (stirring in between) until they reach a thin enough consistency. You do not want them to get warm though or they’ll melt the frosting.

      Reply
  75. Karen says

    October 13, 2016 at 8:49 PM

    Oh my gosh! This cake is so gorgeous!! I could never create a cake this beautiful. Such amazing talent.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 14, 2016 at 8:41 AM

      Thanks so much Karen!! <3

      Reply
  76. Donna @ What the Dog Ate says

    September 25, 2016 at 4:27 PM

    5 stars
    Thank you for the inspiration and the tip about the caramel vs. chocolate ganache. Here’s my take:

    http://whatthedogate.blogspot.com/2016/09/chocolate-caramel-turtle-cake.html

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 25, 2016 at 5:25 PM

      Looks amazing, Donna! Great job :). Glad you found the tips helpful!

      Reply
  77. Fion says

    September 18, 2016 at 9:34 AM

    5 stars
    Hi Olivia,

    I baked this cake and it taste heavenly!! Thanks for your recipe!

    Question : any idea how to prevent a doom cake? My cake turn out doom and not even. Yours look perfect!

    Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 18, 2016 at 10:07 AM

      Hi Fion! I’m so glad you liked this one! I actually have a whole post with tips on how to bake up flat cakes right here:
      http://livforcake.com/2014/09/flat-top-cakes.html
      🙂

      Reply
      • Fion says

        September 18, 2016 at 10:34 AM

        Thank you for your reply! Will try out soon! I love your blog!!!

        Reply
  78. cathy|whatshouldimakefor.com says

    September 14, 2016 at 7:50 AM

    this cake is everything. and i think your photos are stunning! seriously. i almost stabbed my fork at the screen to get a bite from that slice. chocolate and caramel perfection!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 28, 2016 at 8:29 AM

      Thanks so much Cathy! 🙂

      Reply
  79. Vicki Bensinger says

    September 12, 2016 at 4:42 PM

    Wow this looks amazing! You had me at “turtle.” I love all your recipes. Now to find the time to make some of them and gift them so my waistline doesn’t thicken up. You do have a book out, don’t you?

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 13, 2016 at 7:15 PM

      Thanks so much Vicki! No book yet, but maybe one day :). And I know what you mean about gifting! That happens a lot over here, haha.

      Reply
  80. Dina says

    September 12, 2016 at 11:19 AM

    I wish the cake wasn’t a 6in…which is sooo small. Doubling everything will be so tedious….

    Great cake tho!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 12, 2016 at 3:52 PM

      It’s tall though!! Those slices are no joke, haha. You could use the same recipe for an 8″ two layer cake or double it for an 8″ 3 layer :).

      Reply
  81. Olga says

    September 12, 2016 at 9:52 AM

    WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! really brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love this flavours… All of them… And the combination must be awesome.

    Great Olivia.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 12, 2016 at 3:51 PM

      The combination is SO good. I hope you try it! xo

      Reply
  82. Elizabeth Vlug says

    September 12, 2016 at 9:29 AM

    I couldn’t read and scroll fast enough to see your cut slice. Oh yes please. Printing this one. Thank you for sharing and for being so honest with all your tips. Truly appreciated.

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 12, 2016 at 3:51 PM

      Thank you Elizabeth!! <3 I hope you try this one 🙂

      Reply
  83. katrina says

    September 12, 2016 at 7:54 AM

    This cake is boss. What a flavour!!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      September 12, 2016 at 3:50 PM

      Thanks so much Katrina! 🙂

      Reply
  84. Medeja says

    September 12, 2016 at 4:48 AM

    Stunning cake and decoration!

    Reply
    • Olivia says

      October 28, 2016 at 8:29 AM

      Thank you!!

      Reply
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I'm Olivia, a professionally trained pastry chef, recipe developer, and photographer from Vancouver, BC. Creating classic cake recipes with a modern twist.
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