Note: I’ve been doing a bit of housecleaning here at the Tasty Kitchen Blog and haven’t been able to stop thinking about this post from the step-by-step archives. It has chocolate. And hazelnuts. In cake form. I’m just as smitten now as I was before. And rumor has it there’s some kind of romantic holiday coming up—a day that most definitely calls for chocolate. Make this and knock someone’s socks off! – Erika
(Republished from 2011.)
Tasty Kitchen’s Erika emailed me last week asking if I’d seen this Chocolate Hazelnut Cake recently submitted by Sabrina (Eatdrinkandbemerry). She said she thought of me. I don’t know why. Why would I like chocolate, and sugar, and butter, and hazelnuts, and Nutella, and peace, and love, and all things good? Hmmm? I don’t get it.
Anyway, I decided to go ahead and make it, ya know, since she twisted my arm and everything. That Erika is one smart cookie, and knows a good cake when she sees one. And this … this is one good cake. One marvelously good cake. Sabrina describes it as tasting like a Ferrero Rocher chocolate, and she’s right on. The super moist, chocolatey cake is topped with a Nutella and mascarpone whipped cream, with a creamy Nutella and whipped cream center. Whoa.
I know you wanna see how to make it, right? Let’s do this thing.
For the cake, you’ll need flour, cocoa powder (I used dark cocoa powder), baking soda, salt, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, water, and buttermilk.
Begin by combining the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. (The directions say to sift, but shhh. Don’t tell. I whisked it all together lightly.)
In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugars for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla and combine well.
Next, alternate adding the flour mixture with the water and buttermilk. Beat on low speed until thoroughly combined. Make sure to not over beat.
Divide batter mixture evenly into 8″ greased and floured round cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. It took about 35 minutes in the Johnson kitchen. Cool cakes in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack(s) to cool completely.
(Note: I used my old 8″ angled sided cake rounds. I’d recommend using an 8″ cake round that’s straight edged and 2″ tall if you can. It worked fine as you’ll see later, but would make for easier decorating if the edges were straight and not angled.)
While the cakes are baking, go ahead and make the whipped cream topping. The whipped cream topping calls for mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, heavy whipping cream, Nutella, and hazelnuts.
Whip together the mascarpone cheese, sugar, vanilla, and heavy whipping cream until peaks form. Add 1 cup of the Nutella and gently mix until blended well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
When cakes have cooled and you’re ready to begin assembling layers, microwave the remaining Nutella a tad bit (about 30 seconds depending on your microwave) to loosen so it will be easy to spread. Spread the warmed Nutella over the top of the bottom layer of the cake. Put the cake in the freezer for 5-15 minutes for the Nutella to harden. Remove the cake from the freezer and spread a layer of the whipped cream over the layer of Nutella.
Add the second layer and frost the sides and top with whipped cream.
Top with chopped hazelnuts, and add any extra piping decorations to the edges to finish off if desired.
I tend to have a more rustic style when decorating cakes. I’m sure y’all can do much better. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Delicious! It’s a decadent and rich cake for sure. Definitely a cake for special occasions. I think the next time I make this cake (and there will be a next time), I’ll make cupcakes, with a thin layer of Nutella, topped with a swirl of the whipped topping and sprinkled with the chopped hazelnuts. The perfect cupcake indeed.
Many thanks to Sabrina for submitting this tempting Chocolate Hazelnut Cake. It’s a keeper. (Check out Sabrina’s blog Eat, Drink & Be Merry for more of her killer recipes!)
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Description
This cake tastes like one of those wonderful Ferrero Rocher candies! (It even has the smooth a creamy chocolate hazelnut center!) This recipe is perfect if you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion or to satisfy another one of those Nutella cravings!
Ingredients
- FOR THE CAKE:
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- ½ cups Unsweetend Cocoa Powder
- 1-½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoons Salt
- 1 stick Butter, At Room Temperature
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs, At Room Temperature
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Lukewarm Water
- ½ cups Buttermilk
- FOR THE CREAM:
- 8 ounces, weight Mascarpone Cheese, At Room Temperature
- ¾ cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1-¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2-½ cups Nutella, Divided
- 1-½ cup Chopped Hazelnuts, For Topping
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with water and buttermilk, beating on low speed until just combined; scape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat on medium-high speed just until no traces of flour remain, about 30 seconds; do not overbeat.
Divide the batter evenly into 2 8-inch round pans that have been greased and floured. Bake for about 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
To make the cream, whip together cheese, sugar, vanilla, and heavy whipping cream with electric beaters until peaks form. I chill a stainless steel bowl in the freezer so it whips faster. Add 1 cup Nutella and beat until well blended.
Microwave the remaining 1 1/2 cups Nutella (for the inside layer) for 30 seconds or until it is easy to spread but not too loose that it will run off your cake. Spread evenly over the bottom layer of the cake and set in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes. Once the Nutella layer sets, spread a layer of chocolate hazelnut whipped cream over it. Top with other cake layer and frost the sides and top of the cake with cream. Top with chopped hazelnuts. Feel free to pipe a design around the top and bottom sides of the cake; you will have more than enough cream to do so!
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Amy Johnson is a blogger who writes about food, travel, the home (both inside and out), and various observations and random musings about anything and everything. Visit her blog She Wears Many Hats for a dose of deliciousness, practicality, hilarity, or just plain fun. She lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children.
59 Comments
Comments are closed for this recipe.
Donna on 2.11.2013
Ok, took most of the afternoon to make. The cake was easy, as was the icing. BUT the icing has the consistency of whipped cream (I even added another cup of powdered sugar) and is impossible to pipe unless you are in a freezer. Also, it will begin to ooze out from between the layers quickly at room temp. and is practically impossible to transport. I put 3 skewers through the layers for transport purposes, and the icing was starting to slide down the sides a bit after a 15 minute trip. All that being said, though, it was a fabulously delicious cake. All 12 ate every last crumb from a large slice. Would be best to make, refrigerate and serve at home.
Leonie on 1.22.2013
*drool*
Serena on 1.14.2013
Wow!!!! This cake looks amazing!!!!
Have you tried Baci di Dama cookies? My favourites hazelnut cookies ever: http://foodfulife.wordpress.com
Thank you for sharing!!
Kimberly Snell on 1.10.2013
I’m curious as to why the picture of the sliced piece of cake does not look like the sliced piece on the recipe picture, the first picture the cake looks darker and I guess neater then the one pictured on the recipe.
Just wondered
Kim
Erika (TK) on 1.11.2013
Hi Kimberly! I’m pretty sure that’s because, as Amy mentioned, she used dark cocoa powder (which I love and also use whenever I can). The color of the cake will be lighter if you use regular cocoa powder, as seen in the original recipe.
Jayne on 1.9.2013
I cried a little when I saw this. If only someone would make me this cake for the said upcoming romantic holiday.
Monique of Ambitious Kitchen on 1.9.2013
OH MY GOD.
Maria on 7.21.2011
I have to try this!
Wendy in Oz on 7.1.2011
I made this fabulous cake the other day too and it defintely improved with age – more moist and delicious!
I found the frosting was a bit soft as well, don’t know if I didn’t whip the cream enough – soft peaks rather than firm ones. Next time (cos there will be a next time!) I might try cream cheese in place of mascarpone.
Wendy in Oz on 6.30.2011
I made this a couple of days ago as well – much tastier if you wait for a day to help “meld” the flavours together.
I had issues with the frosting being very soft – I wonder if cream cheese might give it a bit more strength? Tasted amazing anyway, and given it’s winter in these parts, no refridgeration needed
Colleen L on 6.30.2011
I made it yesterday – it’s fabulous! Brought it to work today and got a big thumbs up from everyone too! The frosting is a bit tricksy – despite chilling it in the fridge for a good couple hours I had to work fast with it. I did pipe borders on – but only after re-refrigerating the bagged icing and the cake for a good 6 hours. Definitely a cake that needs to stay refrigerated, but very worth it.
Susan on 6.30.2011
So, I made this last night and it is delicious. However, I’m not sure what I did wrong with the frosting. It is very melty. Even after refrigeration overnight it still doesn’t stand up. I’m thinking I didn’t mix it long enough before I added the Nutella. Should I do the whipping cream separate from the marscapone and the nutella and then mix them together?
cookbooked on 6.30.2011
I cannot find hazelnuts in my little dinky town. Do you all think walnuts would be ok? Or pecans better? I know that would change a lot about it, but I’m really sold on the whipped cream/Nutella idea. Thanks so much.
Amanda on 6.29.2011
WenDee – You could try chilling both the bowl and the beaters. Whipping cream won’t set up if it’s not cold enough. I actually beat my whipping cream until it started to thicken first (you don’t want to beat it until it’s whip cream consistancy or it will be difficult to mix in the other ingredients) and then added the marscapone, vanilla, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. I found that with the nutella I didn’t need more sugar than this, but it may have just been the mood I was in. For a recipe like this the powdered sugar should work more as a sweetener than a thickening agent. Hope that helps!
kelly on 6.29.2011
omg looks dangerously delicious!
i gave the link to a friend right away, went through the recipe with him and told him the icing looks dangerous!
sometime next month (late july/early august) i’ll make it…
Sinea on 6.28.2011
OMG…this looks so good. It just may be our 4th of July dessert!
Reese on 6.28.2011
Oh Lord….I have this cake on my mind and won’t be satisfied until I make it and eat half of it in one sitting!!! This is my heaven.
Patty Gardner on 6.28.2011
I’m in the process of making my menu for the upcoming week and this is going to be on it. It looks awesome.
VADEPAN on 6.28.2011
Let me just say:………Wowwwwww!!!!!!so, so, so yummy!!!!!looks delicious!!!!I woww again!!!!! This cake is amazing, and your photos too, great as always!!!!!!!
WenDee Riffe on 6.28.2011
i made this cake for my siss 39th bday~~i will have to say—i could never get the icing to stand up!!?? what did i so wrong!!!! i had to keep adding powdered sugar and by then the nutella flavor was lost???? oh well–the cake tasted good???
Mrs. Puma on 6.28.2011
Oh my gosh, this looks and sounds delicious!
Laurie - Simply Scratch on 6.28.2011
Wow Amy!! This is the prettiest cake I’ve ever seen… hands down!! I love rustic decorating… it’s all I know how to do!!
Michelle W on 6.28.2011
It’s a good thing you can’t eat the screen! What a beautiful cake with all the perfect food groups. It’s a good thing I’m getting ready to go on vacation, or I would be making this RIGHT NOW!!
Kirsten is Comfortably Domestic on 6.28.2011
Chocolate and hazelnuts are all that is good and right with the world. And butter. And bacon. And…
wenderly on 6.28.2011
Oh my stars in heaven. I am speechless. That cake is a vision of loveliness and everything wonderful.
callimakesdo on 6.28.2011
Amy, What a completely gorgeous cake. We could do better? I know I couldn’t. That cake looks GORGEOUS. I love the fluted edges and the rich dark center with the light chocolate cream. A cake doesn’t get lovelier or more delicious looking! Do you ship overnight? I have a birthday coming up.
ZeTallGerman on 6.28.2011
OMG, this looks too good to be true. Nutella has become a national institution in Germany, so anything involving the stuff has to be heavenly. I’m really worried that none of the topping will actually survive to ever make it onto the cake, though… hmmmm. I like your idea of cupcakes. From my experience, human psychology is weird: many will refuse a 2nd slice of such a decadent cake, but made into cupcakes, most people will happily eat 2 or 3! So to ensure that none of it goes to waste, I’m making the latter
And can I just add that I made your Chicken & Noodles last week and I’m in love! I’ve developed a strange addiction to and obsession with that dish, it’s all I want to eat right now, much to my husband’s dismay, haha! Thanks for the great recipes and greetings from sweltering Dubai.
Magsie on 6.27.2011
Oh wow! So pretty. And it’s got to be amazing.
Ann on 6.27.2011
Holy Cow! My blog is healthy cooking, but you are supposed to indulge once in a while! I wish my birthday was today!! That looks amazing!
p.s. I won’t tell – I sift my dry ingredients, too!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen on 6.27.2011
Heavenly! There’s just something about that chocolate hazelnut combination that gets me every time.
cook4ever on 6.27.2011
This looks wonderful!!! I am tempted to try this – have never used hazelnuts(altho I love them) and Nutella in cooking. However, I am just tempted right now – not planning on making this. I just made the Chocolate Sheet Cake last week and gained 10 pounds just baking and frosting it. I don’t dare do another dessert for awhile.
But – this goes in the top of my recipe file of “what do I do today?”
Groan. I think I gained a couple of pounds just looking at the cake and dreaming of what can be.
Help me Rhonda!!
kaceyt @ om&nom on 6.27.2011
looks divine! these may just need to be made for the 4th of july weekend!
Holly G on 6.27.2011
is this fat and calorie-free?!
AngAK on 6.27.2011
Kristy, no, the whipped cream frosting needs to be refrigerated. it will not hold up at room temp for days.
Katrina on 6.27.2011
This cake looks so dreamy! Love it.
Kristy on 6.27.2011
This looks like the perfect cake to enter in the county fair next week! So, question: Do you think it would hold up for a couple days without being refrigerated- especially since the frosting contains heavy whipping cream?
Amy B. in Portland on 6.27.2011
Happy birthday to me! This will be my cake of choice. Thanks for sharing.
Amy @ A Little Nosh on 6.27.2011
That is one gorgeous cake.
Larelle on 6.27.2011
Oh, yummy… this is now on my ‘to make’ list as soon as the budget allows (my budget keeps my waistline trim!)
Just a tip- if flouring a cake pan for a chocolate cake it can be easy to have ‘leftover’ flour on the finished cake as a white dusting. Using cocoa powder instead of flour completely eliminates this possibility!
Adrianna from A Cozy Kitchen on 6.27.2011
Is this real life?!?! This cake looks too good to be true.
marj on 6.27.2011
Ooooph.
=( Back in the day I poisoned my body against the hazelnut flavor. Lesson learned: Never get drunk on that monk-shaped bottle of liqueur. Just the sound of “Nutella” makes me green.
my bad.
Heather of Kitchen Concoctions on 6.27.2011
I love Nutella! This looks like one rich and delicious cake!
Julie on 6.27.2011
Please, someone, remind me that this website is a hazard to my diet…I NEED that cake right now, please!!!
Georgia Pellegrini on 6.27.2011
This looks divine!!!
Nicole on 6.27.2011
I’m on it. I just cleaned out my pantry and found hazelnuts (not expired!). Just waiting for a reason to buy some Nutella. Done.
Laurie on 6.27.2011
I. am. drooling.
Patty on 6.27.2011
I just found the cake I’m making for my birthday in 2 weeks! I think I will make cupcakes out of it too.
carolinagirl on 6.27.2011
Oh my, that looks devine! I want that cake NOW!
Emily on 6.27.2011
I’m a sucker for chocolate. I’m a sucker for hazelnut. This cake is calling my name!!! YUM!! Cannot wait to try this!
http://www.MrsCapretta.com
LunaCafe on 6.27.2011
You had me with the intro picture! The moist texture of this cake looks amazing. And I can’t wait to try the nutella frosting. …Susan
Heather on 6.27.2011
This will be made this week…holy yum!