chocolate caramel turtle cake

It's Friday. It's the 2nd day of September. College football started last night. It's a long weekend. It's a glorious time. This calls for a celebration, y'all!

We're upon another holiday, which means one thing to me: food. As I did for my 4th of J post, I can only  talk/think/dream about food today.

And today, I'm talking/thinking/dreaming of this chocolate caramel turtle cake. I don't know why. I can't get her off my mind. I woke up wondering what I should have for breakfast. Immediately, I thought of this sweet cake. It's just who I am. Raise your hand if you've ever eaten a piece of cake for breakfast! (Raises 2 hands and both her feet!)

My beautiful momma gave me this recipe, though I think it originally hails from my Aunt Lorene. So we shall call this "Aunt Lorene's Chocolate Caramel Turtle Cake" OR "the-most-sinfully-deliciously-calorically-insane-cake-you'll-ever-eat" or something like that.
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Here's the recipe:

1 box of German Chocolate Cake mix (and ingredients needed on the box)
1 can Eagle brand milk
1 lg. bag of Kraft caramels
2 sticks of butter

Mix cake mix according to directions and then divide the batter into 2 seperate bowls. In the first bowl of batter, add 1 stick of melted butter and 1/2 can of the Eagle brand milk. Pour this into a greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for around 20 minutes. While this is baking, melt 1 stick of butter and all of the unwrapped caramels and the other half of the can of Eagle brand milk in a double boiler.

When the first layer of cake is done baking, pour the caramel mixture over the cake (let is sit for a minute or so).

Don't you just want to stick your face in that?!?!?

Then add the 2nd bowl of batter over the caramels and bake around 20 minutes or until the center of the cake springs up when touched.

Now, if those weren't enough calories for you, it's time to add the chocolate icing.

Here's what you need:

1 stick of butter
4 tablespoons of cocoa
5 tablespoons of milk
1 box of powdered sugar (or powdered sugar to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix these ingredients together and cook this mixture on the stove for 1 minute after it starts boiling. Remove from the stove and add the powdered sugar and vanilla.

This is a sinful cake, really. The amount of butter and chocolate goodness baked into this cake should probably be illegal.

I don't make this cake unless I'm going to share it with others. I usually NEVER share my dessert, but, if I consumed this entire cake, I would be greasing the door to get out of my house. Moderation is the key with this cake, friends! And moderation totally means anywhere from 1-10 pieces of cake............

P.S. I'm happy to report I had spinach and eggs for breakfast this morning. This was ONLY because I plan on eating 10 pieces of turtle cake this weekend. It's important to balance your meals, man!

Have a blessed holiday weekend and happy eating!