Maria's Birthday - Double-Caramel Turtle Cake

Maria's birthday was yesterday. Her favorite type of baked good is anything turtle. What better way to celebrate her 25th birthday?

The cake is made of delicious layers of chocolate cake topped with a quick frosting and drizzle of caramel. 

And now for a few pictures for few pictures of the family. 

The birthday girl and I. 

It was nice to play and spend some time with the family. DJ absolutely adores his Auntie (he calls her Ah). 

Double-Caramel Turtle Cake from MyRecipes

Ingredients

For the cake:
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

For the frosting:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons fat-free milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sifted powdered sugar

For the topping: 
2/3 cup fat-free caramel apple dip
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare cake, coat bottoms (not the sides) of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray. Dust with 1 tablespoon flour.
3. Combine boiling water and cocoa, stirring well with a whisk. Set aside and let cool completely. 
4. To prepare the cake, place granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended, approximately 5 minutes. Add one egg 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.  Tapp pans once on counter to remove air bubbles  (I like to drop them from a one inch height. Just enough to bring air to top) . 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 and cook 1 minute or until sugar melts. Remove from heat and until cool. Combine butter mixture and 2 teaspoons vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually add powdered sugar (I used 1/3 cup measure at a time) beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with each new addition. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until spreading consistency.
7. Place 1 cake layer on a plate and spread with half of frosting. Drizzle half of caramel over frosting. Top with other cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top of cake, drizzle with remaining caramel dip, and sprinkle with pecans.