Do you have any recommendations for arranging the pecans?

Chop the pecans that go in the middle layers (easier to eat) and then use the whole pecans on top (pretty to look at).

Any tips on frosting the cake?

When you're frosting the cake, you'll want to spread the frosting just to the edge and a little past it so that it doesn't completely drip down but just kind of waterfalls over the edge. It works well to just let it naturally drip down the cake vs. actually spreading it over the sides.

What size of ramekin do you suggest for making this?

8-ounce ramekins (affiliate link) are perfect here. The ones in our kitchen are 4 inches wide and about 2 inches tall.

What kind of pecans should I use?

Regular toasted pecans work, but why not take it over the top with candied pecans?! You will not regret it.

Cafe Latte Turtle Cake for Two Recipe

Description

Intensely rich chocolate cake with waterfalls of caramel and pecan jewels inspired by the delicious turtle cake from Cafe Latte. The perfect dessert for two! Or six! Or one!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Chocolate Cake:

1 egg yolk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sour cream or plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2–3 tablespoons strong hot coffee (this will loosen the batter up and adds great flavor)

Chocolate Frosting:

2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon coffee

Toppings:

Caramel
Toasted or candied pecan pieces

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk all the cake ingredients into a batter, using the coffee to thin it out (it’s a pretty thick batter, even with the coffee). Generously grease four 8-ounce ramekins with cooking spray. Divide batter between the ramekins and spread into the dishes so it covers the bottom.
Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the cakes gently from the ramekins and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before adding frosting.
In a small saucepan, bring the milk, sugar, and butter to a boil. After 15-20 seconds of boiling, remove from heat and melt in chocolate chips. Whisk until smooth. Add coffee to thin slightly, whisking to get it smooth and shiny. Allow to cool for a few minutes so the frosting isn’t quite so runny (it’ll still be runny, you just don’t want it to be super hot when you spread it on the cakes).
With this recipe, you can either make one 3-layer cake or two 2-layer cakes. Layer cake, frosting, pecans, caramel, and repeat until you have your nice decadent, over-the-top cake. I just spoon a bit of frosting into the center of each cake and gradually work it out to the edge to get a waterfall effect. I chop up the pecans that go in the middle layer for a more textured crunchy bite, and then use the whole pecans in a circular pattern on top.
Eat the cake while warm (yum) or store in the fridge for a day or two (also very yum)! SO GOOD. Thank you Cafe Latte!

Notes

The variations shown in the photos can help you figure out how you want your cake to be! The first image in the post shows a two-layer cake with a runnier frosting (it waterfalls a bit over the edges) whereas the last photos show a three-layer cake with a slightly thicker frosting that doesn’t run down the sides as much. Play with it and make it just how you want it!

I find that cooking spray is really the best thing to use to get the cakes out of the ramekins easily. I’ve struggled with other methods but the cooking spray has never failed me!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American

Keywords: turtle cake, turtle cake for two, cafe latte turtle cake