Cream Cheese Turtle Cake

CREAM CHEESE TURTLE CAKE
Cake
1 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
1 18.25-ounce box German chocolate cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut into pieces, room temperature Icing
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
5 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup purchased caramel-flavored topping or dulce de leche topping
Cooking Instructions:
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 13x9x2-inch metal cake pan.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup almonds and 1/2 cup pecans over bottom of pan.
Combine cake mix, 1 1/4 cups water, oil, and eggs in large bowl.
Using electric mixer, beat at low speed until mixture is moistened,
about 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Pour batter into
pan.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Gradually stir
in powdered sugar (mixture will form clumps); stir in cream cheese.
Whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour cream cheese mixture in
large ribbons atop cake batter in pan. Using knife, swirl mixture
into batter (do not overmix).

Bake cake until tester inserted into center (in cake part only) comes
out clean, about 50 minutes (bottom of cake will be very moist). Cool
cake in pan on rack. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup almonds and 1/2 cup
pecans over cake.

For icing:
Mix sugar and cocoa in medium bowl. Bring milk and butter to simmer
in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low; add powdered
sugar mixture and whisk until melted. Add chocolate chips and whisk
until smooth. Mix in vanilla.

Drizzle warm icing over cake. Let stand until set, about 2 hours.
Drizzle caramel topping over. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store
at room temperature.)