Double Caramel Turtle Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 -3 tablespoons nonfat milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup fat-free caramel apple dip (such as t. marzetti's)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°.
• 2 to prepare cake, coat bottoms of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray (do not coat sides of pans); line bottoms with wax paper. coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust with 1 tablespoon flour.
• 3 combine boiling water and cocoa, stirring well with a whisk. cool completely.
• 4 place granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. lightly spoon 1 2/3 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. combine 1 2/3 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. add flour mixture and cocoa mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• 5 pour batter into prepared pans; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air . bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. cool completely on wire rack.
• 6 to prepare frosting, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons milk; cook 1 minute or until sugar melts. remove from heat; cool slightly. combine butter mixture and 2 teaspoons vanilla in a large bowl. gradually add powdered sugar; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until spreading consistency.
• 7 place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread top with half of frosting. place caramel dip in a small zip-top plastic bag. snip a small hole in 1 corner of bag; drizzle half of caramel dip over frosting. top with other cake layer. spread remaining frosting over top of cake; drizzle with remaining caramel dip. sprinkle with pecans.