Decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Ingredients

Cake Batter:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water

Hazelnut Filling:
- 1 cup chopped hazelnuts
- ½ cup Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut spread

Chocolate Ganache:
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare Pans:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

2. Prepare the Cake Batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth.
- Gradually stir in the boiling water until well combined. The batter will be thin.

3. Bake the Cakes:
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Once baked, allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Prepare the Hazelnut Filling:
- In a bowl, combine the chopped hazelnuts with the Nutella spread. Mix until well blended.

5. Assemble the Cake:
- Once the cakes are completely cooled, spread the hazelnut filling over one layer of the cake. Top with the second cake layer.

6. Make the Chocolate Ganache:
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
- In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it begins to simmer. Do not boil.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Stir until smooth and glossy.

7. Frost the Cake:
- Let the ganache cool slightly, then pour it over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides for a smooth finish.

Preparation & Cooking Times

- Preparation Time: PT30M
30 minutes
- Cooking Time: PT35M
35 minutes
- Total Time: PT1H5M
1 hour and 5 minutes

Type of Dish

Dessert

Keywords

Chocolate cake, Hazelnut cake, Nutella dessert, Ganache cake, Oven-baked cake, Rich chocolate dessert, Layer cake recipe, Sweet indulgence, Hazelnut filling, Dessert recipe

Recipe Yield

Feeds 4 adults

Calories

Total calories: 3200

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