Best Nutella Cake (One Bowl)
This incredible Nutella cake is made with chocolate hazelnut cake layers, frosted with Nutella buttercream, and topped with chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
Nutella cake
- 3 cups Flour AP, plain flour
- ½ cup Dutch cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups Granulated sugar
- ¾ cup Vegetable oil
- ¾ cup Nutella
- 3 Eggs room temp
- 1 cup Buttermilk room temp
- 1 cup Hot coffee
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Nutella buttercream frosting
- 1 ½ cups Butter softened at room temperature
- 2 cups Powder sugar
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- ½ cup Nutella
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Chocolate ganache
- 3.5 oz Dark chocolate
- 3.5 oz Heavy cream
Instructions
Make Nutella cake
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and wrap with damp cake strips for even baking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, salt, oil, Nutella, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and sifted cocoa powder until smooth.
- Add Dry & Coffee: Sift in flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until almost combined, then pour in hot coffee. Mix gently until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Do not overmix.
- Bake & Cool: Divide batter evenly among the three prepared 8-inch pans (weigh with a kitchen scale for best accuracy). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Make Nutella buttercream
- Beat Butter: In a large bowl, beat room-temperature butter with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift in half of the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Mix on low speed until combined, then add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
- Add Nutella: Add Nutella and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high for another 1 to 2 minutes, until silky, light, and fully blended.
Make ganache & assemble
- Make Ganache: Combine chopped dark chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 70 seconds, let sit undisturbed for 10 minutes, then whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Stack Layers: Pipe a small dab of frosting onto your serving plate to anchor the cake. Place the first cake layer down, spread ¼ of the Nutella buttercream evenly on top, and repeat with the second and third cake layers.
- Frost & Chill: Frost the top and sides of the entire cake with the remaining buttercream. Chill the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes so the frosting sets firmly.
- Drip & Decorate: Pour cooled chocolate ganache over the top of the chilled cake, gently nudging it toward the edges with an offset spatula to create drips. Pipe remaining frosting into decorative swirls around the top rim.
Notes
- Measure by Weight: Use a digital kitchen scale to weigh your flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and Nutella for precise, bakery-quality results.
- Room Temperature Dairy: Ensure eggs, buttermilk, and butter are at room temperature. Cold ingredients prevent proper emulsification and cause buttercream to separate or turn grainy.
- Hot Coffee: Hot coffee blooms the cocoa powder to intensify the chocolate flavor without leaving a coffee taste behind. Substitute with boiling water or hot decaf coffee if preferred.
- Cake Strips: Soak fabric cake strips in cold water for 15 minutes before wrapping them around your pans to ensure flat, even layers without domes.
- Chill Before Dripping: Always refrigerate the fully frosted cake for 20 to 30 minutes before pouring the ganache drip to prevent warm ganache from melting the buttercream.
- Serving Temperature: Keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring slices to room temperature 30 minutes before serving for the softest crumb and creamiest frosting.
Nutrition
Calories: 699kcalCarbohydrates: 94gProtein: 7gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 451mgPotassium: 297mgFiber: 5gSugar: 50gVitamin A: 695IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 4mg
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