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5 from 1 review

If you’re a Nutella lover, then you will love this chocolate hazelnut cake! Think soft and moist chocolate cake layers with a rich and creamy chocolate hazelnut buttercream. Plus, you can easily make this recipe gluten-free and dairy-free!

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake slice on a plate with hazelnuts scattered around

I think we can all agree that there’s nothing better than a big slice of chocolate cake. This Nutella cake is even better than a classic chocolate cake since it’s covered in my favorite chocolate hazelnut frosting! I love decorating it with roasted chopped hazelnuts and a drizzle of chocolate hazelnut spread. 


I love making this cake for birthday parties or the holidays! If you’re less of a Nutella fan and more of a Biscoff lover, then you have to try my chocolate biscoff cake!

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

  • This chocolate hazelnut cake is perfect for Nutella lovers! 
  • You can easily make this a 2-layer or 3-layer cake, so it’s great for parties. 
  • The chocolate cake uses oil instead of butter, giving you a super soft and moist chocolate cake.
  • This is a really easy recipe and there’s just 20 minutes of prep time.

Ingredients Needed

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake ingredients in bowls
  • Flour: you can use all-purpose flour or if you’re gluten-free you can use all-purpose gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. 
  • Milk: feel free to use regular milk or dairy-free milk. 
  • Oil: I recommend using a neutral oil like vegetable oil, canola oil or grapeseed oil.
  • Cocoa Powder: you’ll need to use unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder. 
  • Butter: for the frosting, you can use regular butter or vegan butter if you’re dairy-free.
  • Chocolate Hazelnut Spread: you can use Nutella or if you’re vegan you can use Nutiva or my homemade vegan Nutella recipe! 

Step by Step Instructions

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake process in four steps

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Make sure to spray each one with nonstick spray and then line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Step 3: Add the eggs, vanilla extract, oil, milk and hot water. Mix until smooth.

Step 4: Divide the cake batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake for 20-26 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean with no crumbs. 

Step 5: Let the cakes cool in the pan for 20 minutes, remove them from the pan and let them cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Step 6: Once cool, you can start making the buttercream. In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter and chocolate hazelnut spread together until smooth.

Step 7: Add the vanilla extract and icing sugar a ¼ cup at a time until you have the consistency you want. If your frosting gets too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time. If the frosting isn’t thick enough, add ¼ cup of icing sugar. Taste the frosting and add a pinch of salt. 

Step 8: Place the first cake layer down on a cake plate and smooth some of the frosting on top. Add the second cake layer and frost the sides and top of the cake.

Step 9: To decorate the chocolate hazelnut cake, melt a few tablespoons of Nutella and spread it over the cake. Finish with sprinkling over some chopped roasted hazelnuts!

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with three slices cut into it

Expert Tips

  • I recommend weighing out your flour and cocoa powder with a kitchen scale. It’s really easy to add too much flour and cocoa powder if you use a measuring cup, which will make the cake dry! If you don’t have a kitchen scale, make sure to use the scoop and level method. 
  • Don’t forget to line the bottom of the cake pans with parchment paper or the cake will stick to it and fall apart when you try to take it out.
  • Want to make this as a sheet cake instead of a layer cake? Just bake in a 9×13 pan for 18-20 minutes! I recommend halving the buttercream recipe if you do this as you won’t need as much frosting. 
  • Make sure the cake layers are completely cool before you assemble and frost the cake, otherwise the frosting will slide off.

Storage Instructions

Keep the chocolate hazelnut cake covered at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. To freeze the cake layers, once cool tightly wrap them in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze in ziploc bags for up to 3 months, and let them thaw at room temperature. 

If you have any leftover buttercream, you can store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw then mix with a handheld mixer before using.

More Hazelnut Spread Recipes You’ll Love

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Nutella Filled Muffins
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Nutella Blondies
Nutella Milkshake topped with whip cream and a straw

Nutella Milkshake (3 Ingredients!)
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Nutella Brownies

If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake slice on a plate with hazelnuts scattered around
5 from 1 review

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Gabby Kislanko
If you’re a Nutella lover, then you will love this chocolate hazelnut cake! Think soft and moist chocolate cake layers with a rich and creamy chocolate hazelnut buttercream.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 15 slices
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Ingredients
 

Chocolate Cake

  • 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1¼ cup (250 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ cup (64.5 g) unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup (225 ml) water, hot
  • ½ cup (107.5 ml) canola oil, grapeseed oil, or sunflower oil
  • ½ cup (125 ml) milk of choice, (regular or dairy free)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream

  • 1½ cup (210 g) butter, softened, (regular or dairy free)
  • 1 cup (304 g) chocolate hazelnut spread, (like Nutella or a dairy free version, like Nutiva or homemade nutella)
  • 2¾-3 cup (330 g) icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 Tablespoons milk of choice, as needed, (regular or dairy free)
  • pinch of salt, to taste, as needed

For Decorating

  • roasted chopped hazelnuts, for sprinkling on top
  • 3-4 Tablespoons chocolate hazelnut spread, melted, (for drizzling over the cake)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Spray each one with nonstick spray then line the bottoms of the pans. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda together.
  • Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, milk, oil and hot water into the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
  • Divide the chocolate cake batter between the two cake pans and bake for 20-26 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean with no crumbs.
  • Let the cakes cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
  • Once the cakes are cool you can make the buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and chocolate hazelnut spread until smooth and combined.
  • Add the vanilla extract and the icing sugar, ¼ cup at a time until it’s the consistency you like. If you think the buttercream gets too thick, you can add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it’s the consistency you want. If the frosting gets too thin, add ¼ cup of confectioners’ sugar at a time. Taste and add a pinch of salt if desired.
  • Assemble the cake! Place the first cake layer on a cake plate and place some of the frosting on top and smooth it over. Place the second cake layer on top and frost the sides and top of the cake.
  • To decorate, melt a few tablespoons of chocolate hazlenut spread in the microwave then spread over the cake. Sprinkle the top or bottom (and sides, if desired) with chopped roasted hazelnuts!

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Cooling Rack
8 inch round cake pans
2 8 inch round cake pans
Handheld or Standing Mixer
Handheld or Standing Mixer

Notes

PLEASE NOTE: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. Metric measurements are found above under the “Metric” tab.
Parchment Paper: It is highly likely that the cakes may break when you try to remove them from the pan if you don’t line the pans with parchment. Lining the round pan with parchment paper will make your life so much easier when removing the cakes from the pan, trust me. To do this, trace then cut a circle in the shape of your cake pan out of the parchment paper and place it inside the pans.
Cocoa Powder: I recommend using dutch processed cocoa powder, but you can use natural if that’s what you have. 
Measuring Dry Ingredients: Either measure your flour using a kitchen scale or use the proper scoop and level method: fluff the flour in the bag/container with a fork then use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup, then run the back of a knife along the top of the cup to even it out. Do the same for the cocoa powder.
Buttercream: This recipe provides enough buttercream to frost the cake as pictured. If you want thicker frosting on the outside or if you want to pipe or decorate the cake more, you can times the buttercream ingredients by 0.5.
Storage and Freezing Instructions: 
The cake can be stored covered at room temperature for 3-4 days. I store mine in a cake carrier.  
To freeze the cake layers, let them cool completely, then tightly wrap them in plastic wrap, then aluminium foil. Freeze in ziploc bags for up to 3 months, then let them thaw at room temperature.
Leftover buttercream can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge then mix it up using a handheld or standing mixer before using it.
To make as cupcakes: This cake recipe will make 24 cupcakes. Bake at the same temperature for around 12-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 
To make as a three layer cake: Divide the batter between three 8 inch cake pans.
To make in two 9 inch round cake pans: The cake layers will be thinner and will bake quicker. Start checking on them at around 14 minutes.
To make in a 9×13 sheet pan: Bake for 18-20 minutes. You will only need half the buttercream for a layer cake, so halve the buttercream recipe.
Calories: 522kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 377mg, Potassium: 178mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 49g, Vitamin A: 897IU, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 2mg
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The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.