Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

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.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Low Lactose, Vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Bake 20

Total Time 40

Servings slices

Calories 522

Author Gabby Kislanko

Equipment

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

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

Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream

1½ cup butter, softened (regular or dairy free)
1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella or a dairy free version, like Nutiva or homemade nutella)
2¾-3 cup 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)

US Customary - Metric

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!

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 9x13 sheet pan: Bake for 18-20 minutes. You will only need half the buttercream for a layer cake, so halve the buttercream recipe.

Nutrition