This chocolate hazelnut cake is made with two layers of chocolate cake loaded with hazelnuts, frosted in chocolate ganache and hazelnuts.
This cake is made with two layers of rich chocolate cake, packed with crunchy hazelnuts for added texture and flavor.
The cake is then coated in a smooth, velvety chocolate ganache, giving it a glossy finish and extra chocolatey taste.
Between the layers and on top, you'll find a generous sprinkling of chopped and toasted hazelnuts, adding a nutty crunch to every bite.
The combination of moist chocolate cake, creamy ganache, and toasted hazelnuts creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
This cake is not only a treat for the taste buds but also a feast for the eyes, making it an ideal centerpiece for any special occasion or a luxurious indulgence for chocolate lovers.
For more delicious chocolate cake recipes, check out my chocolate mayonnaise cake, chocolate brooklyn blackout cake, chocolate caramel cake, and Matildas chocolate cake.
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Why this recipe works
- Chocolate and hazelnut flavor- the combination of chocolate and hazelnut creates a luxurious flavor combo that many people enjoy, offering a perfect balance of sweet and nutty flavors.
- Texture- the smooth, moist chocolate cake layers are beautifully complemented by the crunch of chopped hazelnuts, and creamy chocolate ganache providing a variety of textures in every bite.
- Covered in chocolate ganache- this cake is frosted with chocolate ganache that adds a glossy, indulgent finish to the cake, making it visually appealing and irresistible to chocolate lovers.
- Nutty goodness- the addition of chopped and toasted hazelnuts in the filling and on top of the cake adds extra flavor and crunch. These nuts also provide a nice visual appeal and make the cake look stunning.
- Versatility- this cake is suitable for various occasions, from casual gatherings to formal celebrations, and can be enjoyed as a special treat or an impressive finale to a meal.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Flour– I used all-purpose flour for this recipe, self-rising flour, and cake flour will work great as well.
Vegetable oil – I used vegetable oil for this recipe. Canola oil will work great for this recipe.
Dutch cocoa powder– I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder for our chocolate cake because we like the deep and rich chocolate taste, but the natural cocoa powder will work great as well!
Sour cream- use either sour cream or Greek yogurt, both will work great.
Baking powder and baking soda – to allow the cake to rise. Make sure that your baking powder and baking soda aren’t expired.
Granulated sugar– I like to use granulated sugar, also the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Eggs- you will need 3 large eggs. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Buttermilk- gives the cake extra moisture. You can make your own buttermilk if you don’t have one on hand. Simply mix a cup of milk with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
Hot coffee- make a strong hot coffee, you can use espresso or instant coffee, both will work.
Hazelnuts- you will need to chop your hazelnuts into small pieces. I toasted the hazelnuts before chopping them. Roasting nuts gives them a tasty flavor.
Vanilla extract- Vanilla extract Is an essential ingredient for chocolate cake and adds flavor.
Salt- I used kosher salt for this recipe. Salt doesn’t give the cake a salty taste, it helps to enhance the chocolate flavor.
For the chocolate ganache
Heavy cream- use full-fat heavy cream for this recipe. This can't be substituted.
Chocolate- use the best quality semisweet or dark chocolate bars for the best flavor. Using the best quality dark chocolate is very important in this recipe.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 (350f) and prep two 8-inch baking pans with parchment paper.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, sour cream, salt, sugar, and oil, sift the cocoa powder, and mix with a whisk until well combined and smooth.
Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and mix with a whisk until almost combined.
Add the toasted chopped hazelnuts and the hot coffee and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide the mixture into two 8-inch baking pans, I suggest using cake strips for even baking. (weight the batter for better results) and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (You can also use 9-inch cake pans)
Make the chocolate ganache
Chop the dark chocolate and place it into a large bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer. Pour the cream into the bowl with the chopped chocolate.
Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
Assembly
Pipe a small dollop of the ganache on the surface that you will frost on. Lay the first cake layer over the ganache dot.
Top the first cake layer with ½ of the ganache and spread it evenly using an offset spatula.
Sprinkle the top of the ganache with a generous amount of chopped and toasted hazelnuts. Top it with the second cake layer.
Top the second cake layer with with other half of the chocolate ganache and spread it with an offset spatula evenly. Top with more chopped hazelnuts.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and buttermilk. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Toast your hazelnuts before chopping them. This is crucial as it enhances their flavor, intensifies their aroma, and improves their texture.
- Make sure that you are using fresh ingredients like baking soda and baking powder. If they are expired your cake will not rise up beautifully.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with the back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Serve at room temperature for optimal taste. Bring the chocolate cake to room temperature before serving to ensure that the ganache is creamy and not hard and will melt in your mouth.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
- For a thicker ganache, let the ganache chill in the fridge for longer. If you want your ganache to be more loose, chill it in the fridge for less time.
Faq's
My biggest tip for making even cake layers is to use a scale and cake strips. Weigh the chocolate cake batter and divide it evenly between two pans.
Then use cake strips to ensure your cake layers bake evenly and don't develop a dome on top. Cake strips help you achieve an evenly baked cake with a flat top.
Chocolate and hazelnut pair well due to their complementary flavors. The sweet, rich chocolate balances the nutty, earthy hazelnuts, creating an irresistible taste.
The smooth chocolate texture contrasts with crunchy hazelnuts, enhancing the eating experience.
Chocolate and hazelnut, known as "gianduja," is a beloved flavor combination originating from 19th-century Turin, Italy.
This smooth, rich blend is used in various confections, with Nutella being the most famous commercial product featuring this flavor.
Storing
This cake will last up to 4 in the fridge. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out.
Freezing
For individual slices, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. This method is great for easy portion control.
To freeze the entire cake, first place it in the freezer uncovered for about an hour to firm up the ganache. Then, wrap the cake securely in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil.
This double-wrapping helps prevent freezer burn and keeps the cake fresh. Whether you're freezing slices or the whole cake, make sure to label it with the date.
When properly stored, your chocolate cake can stay fresh in the freezer for up to three months. To thaw, simply move the cake or slices to the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Substitutions
Heavy cream- if you don't have heavy cream or don't consume it, you can swap it with coconut milk or vegan heavy cream for the ganache.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Dairy-free- you can make these dairy-free by swapping the buttermilk with dairy-free buttermilk, and the heavy cream with vegan heavy cream.
Egg-free- to make this cake egg-free, replace the eggs with ⅔ cup of applesauce.
Variations
Nutella- spread a thick layer of Nutella between the cake layers. Frost with Nutella buttercream and decorate with Ferrero Rocher chocolates and chopped hazelnuts.
Mocha- add 2 tablespoon of espresso powder to the chocolate cake batter for a mocha flavor. Also, add 1 tablespoon of espresso powder to the ganache.
White chocolate- swap the dark chocolate ganache with white chocolate ganache and decorate with a mix of dark and white chocolate-covered hazelnuts.
Hazelnut praline- fill the cake with hazelnut praline cream, frosted with chocolate buttercream, and topped with crunchy praline pieces.
Mixed Nuts- incorporate a variety of nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans) into the cake batter alongside hazelnuts. Use a praline or Nutella frosting, or stick with the chocolate ganache.
Orange zest- add 1 tablespoon of orange zest to the chocolate cake batter. Add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the chocolate ganache and garnish with candied orange peel and hazelnuts.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl set
- Saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- 8-inch cake pans.
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- Strainer basket
- Offset spatula- for frosting the cake
More hazelnut desserts
Ferrero Rocher Cookies- These Ferrero rocher cookies are made with chewy hazelnut chocolate cookies, filled with chopped hazelnuts, and topped with Nutella. These cookies are unbelievably delicious!
Nutella Tart- This Nutella tart is made with an easy hazelnut tart crust, filled with a decadent and creamy Nutella filling, and topped with chopped toasted hazelnuts.
Ferrero Rocher Cake- This Ferrero Rocher cake is made with three chocolate hazelnut cake layers, topped and frosted with hazelnut buttercream, and topped with chocolate ganache, and Ferrero Rocher candy.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Easy Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 ½ cups Granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 Eggs
- ⅔ cup Cocoa powder Dutch processed
- ⅔ cup Vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup Sour cream
- ⅔ cup Buttermilk
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 cup Coffee
- 1 cup Hazelnuts toasted and chopped
For the chocolate ganache
- 2.5 oz Dark chocolate
- 2.5 oz Heavy cream
For the assembly
- ⅔ cup Hazelnuts toasted and chopped
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 180 (350f) and prep two 8-inch baking pans with parchment paper.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, sour cream, salt, sugar, and oil, sift the cocoa powder, and mix with a whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and mix with a whisk until almost combined.
- Add the toasted chopped hazelnuts and the hot coffee and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the mixture into two 8-inch baking pans, I suggest using cake strips for even baking. (weight the batter for better results) and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (You can also use 9-inch cake pans)
Make the chocolate ganache
- Chop the dark chocolate and place it into a large bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer. Pour the cream into the bowl with the chopped chocolate.
- Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
Assembly
- Pipe a small dollop of the ganache on the surface that you will frost on. Lay the first cake layer over the ganache dot.
- Top the first cake layer with ½ of the ganache and spread it evenly using an offset spatula.
- Sprinkle the top of the ganache with a generous amount of chopped and toasted hazelnuts. Top it with the second cake layer.
- Top the second cake layer with with other half of the chocolate ganache and spread it with an offset spatula evenly. Top with more chopped hazelnuts.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and buttermilk. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Toast your hazelnuts before chopping them. This is crucial as it enhances their flavor, intensifies their aroma, and improves their texture.
- Make sure that you are using fresh ingredients like baking soda and baking powder. If they are expired your cake will not rise up beautifully.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with the back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Serve at room temperature for optimal taste. Bring the chocolate cake to room temperature before serving to ensure that the ganache is creamy and not hard and will melt in your mouth.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
- For a thicker ganache, let the ganache chill in the fridge for longer. If you want your ganache to be more loose, chill it in the fridge for less time.
Daniel says
The best flavor combo!