Turtle Cake

Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Table. baking soda
1 teas. salt
1 cup brewed hot coffee

Chocolate Frosting
1 1/2 cups pecan halves, toasted
3/4 cup caramel ice cream topping (Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch-Caramel Topping)

Grease three 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottom with parchment paper. Grease the paper; dust with cocoa powder. Set pans aside.

In a small bowl, combine egg, buttermilk and oil; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, soda and salt. Gradually add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, beating until combined. Gradually beat in hot coffee. Pour batter into prepared pans; spread evenly. Layers will appear shallow.

Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes and then invert on wire racks and peel off paper. Cool completely.

When cool, prepare chocolate frosting. Place 1 cake layer, top side down, onto a serving plate. Using an icing spatula or a wide knife, work quickly to frost top of this layer with 1/3 the frosting, pushing it out slightly from edges to make a ripple or petal effect. Arrange 1/3 of the pecans on top and drizzle with 1/4 cup of the caramel topping (if using Mrs. Richardson's - you may have to heat in micro very slightly to drizzle).

Top with the 2nd layer, top side down. Repeat with frosting, pecans and caramel. Top with 3rd layer, right side up. Repeat with frosting, pecans and caramel.
5. Chill cake 1 - 2 hours before serving. Makes 12 - 16 servings.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup milk. Add 6 tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 12 oz bag of semi sweet chocolate chips.

Using a wire whisk mix frosting ingredients until smooth. If frosting is too thick or grainy, add 1 - 2 teaspoons hot coffee. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

NOTE - If you have only 2 - 9 inch pans, chill 1/3 batter while you bake the other 2 layers.