Chocolate Turtle Birthday Cake

For the cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder. Set pans aside.
3. In a small bowl, stir together wet ingredients (egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla); set aside.
4. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
5. Gradually add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, beating with an electric mixer until combined.
6. Gradually beat in hot coffee.
7. Pour batter into prepared pans and spread evenly.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven. Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pans, then invert cakes onto cooling racks and remove pans.
9. Peel off paper and allow cakes to cool thoroughly.
10. When the cakes are cool, make the frosting and caramel sauce.

For the chocolate frosting:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and milk. Add butter.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
3. Add semi-sweet chocolate pieces. Using a wire whisk, mix until smooth.
4. If frosting is too thick or grainy, stir in coffee.

For the caramel sauce:
1. Heat sugar and water together in a non-aluminum saucepan.
2. Bring to simmer and cook without stirring until amber-coloured (it should take about 15-20 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, heat cream in another pot.
4. When sugar is amber-coloured, slowly pour in hot cream, whisking constantly until well blended. Remove from heat and let it cool.

To assemble:
1. Place 1 cake layer, top-side down, onto a serving plate.
2. Using an offset spatula or wide knife, work quickly to frost the top of this layer with one-third of the frosting, pushing it out slightly from edges to drizzle over the sides..
3. Arrange one-third of the nuts on top and drizzle with 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce. Top with the second cake layer, top-side down.
4. Repeat with frosting, pecans and caramel sauce. Top with the third layer, right side up. Repeat with remaining frosting, pecans and caramel sauce.
5. Chill cake 1 to 2 hours before serving.