Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

5 from 3 votes

This chocolate hazelnut cake is a dream come true for Nutella fans! Featuring a moist chocolate cake layered with a luscious chocolate hazelnut spread and ground hazelnuts, it’s then wrapped in a silky Nutella buttercream. The combination of rich chocolate and toasted hazelnuts makes it the ultimate indulgence for any chocolate lover.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Cooling and Assembly1 30

Total Time2 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 905kcal

Author: Callan Wenner

Equipment

2 8" cake pans
Parchment paper cake rounds
Mixing bowls
Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachment (or hand mixer)
Piping bag or ziptop bag
Offset spatula or cake scraper

Ingredients

Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs room temperature
2 large egg yolks room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup unsalted butter melted
¾ cup sour cream room temperature
¼ cup whole milk room temperature
1 cup coffee or water steaming hot

Filling

½ cup chopped hazelnuts
⅔ cup Nutella
¼ cup heavy whipping cream cold

Frosting

¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
¾ cup Nutella
3 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup heavy cream cold
1 teaspoon vanilla
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 350℉/177℃. Grease and parchment line the bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup dutch-processed cocoa powder, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks, oil, butter, sour cream and milk until smooth, then add to the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
2 large eggs, 2 large egg yolks, ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup sour cream, ¼ cup whole milk
Pour in the hot coffee and mix until fully combined, careful not to over-mix (or slosh it over the sides).
1 cup coffee or water
Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans, take off the parchment layer, and finish cooling on the racks.

Filling

Add the hazelnuts to a large frying pan over medium low heat and toast until lightly golden and fragrant. Toss the nuts frequently during this process. Transfer to a cutting board to cool, then finely chop the nuts.
½ cup chopped hazelnuts
In a large bowl with a hand mixer, add the nutella and heavy cream and slowly mix to combine, then increase the speed and whip for 2 minutes until it becomes slightly lighter and airier. Fold in the chopped, cooled hazelnuts.
⅔ cup Nutella, ¼ cup heavy whipping cream

Nutella Buttercream

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and Nutella on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
¾ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup Nutella
Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low for 30 seconds until the powdered sugar is combined, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for another 2 minutes.
3 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream at a time. If it’s too thin, add ¼ cup of powdered sugar at a time.

Assembly

Cut off the top mounded layer of the cake rounds using a serrated knife, keeping as level as possible. Add the first cake layer to a serving platter.
Pipe a circle around the very outside of the cake round with the Nutella frosting. Spread the chocolate hazelnut filling in the center and spread evenly until it reaches the frosting dam.
Add the second cake layer on top. Add a few large dollops of buttercream to the top of the cake. Working from the middle, gently push the buttercream to the edges, then down the sides of the cake and cover the entire cake.
Smooth it out using an offset spatula or cake scraper into a very thin layer. Refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes.
Use the remaining buttercream to add another, thicker layer of frosting to cover the cake and smooth it out. Use any excess buttercream to add decorative piping (optional).

Video

Notes

Store the cake lightly covered at room temperature for one day, then in the fridge for an additional 2-3 days. Cover any cut sides of the cake with a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper to keep the filling inside the cake.

Nutrition