Chocolate Hazelnut Layer Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CREPE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the crepe batter: Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, milk and cream in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, hazelnut meal, sugar and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in some of the milk mixture. Gently whisk from the center of the well, making a thick, smooth batter. Then, while whisking, gradually add remaining milk mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk in vanilla and butter. (Alternatively, combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend on low speed until smooth.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 48 hours.
• Prepare the chocolate cream: Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and set a fine mesh sieve over the bowl. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt. Whisk in some of the milk to create a thick paste. Gradually add remaining milk while whisking until mixture is smooth and well-combined. Whisk in egg yolks and add butter.
• Cook milk mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly and occasionally scraping the bottom and sides of the pan with a rubber spatula. Once the mixture comes to a boil and becomes very thick, about 5 minutes, whisk it vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes. Press hot cream mixture through the sieve into the bowl with the chocolate. Let it stand for 2 minutes, then mix it until smooth and well-combined. Add brandy or coffee and stir to combine. Use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture until it has cooled to about room temperature and is smooth and silky. Cover with plastic wrap, pressed into the surface of the custard, and chill until ready to use.
• Cook the crepes: Melt a little bit of butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and let the pan get hot. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add a scant 1/4 cup (about 3 tablespoons) crepe batter to one side of the pan. (You don't want to use too much batter or you'll have thick crepes.) Quickly tilt and swirl the pan to spread the batter to an even thickness across the bottom of the pan and about 1 inch up the sides.
• Return the pan to the heat and cook crepe until very lightly golden and set on one side, about 45 seconds. Tuck a small offset spatula under the edge of the crepe, grab onto it with your fingers, and quickly flip it over. Cook until light golden brown on the other side, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Slip crepe onto a rack to cool. Once crepes are cool, transfer them to a baking sheet and cover with a light towel to keep them from drying out. Continue with remaining batter, occasionally wiping out the skillet with a paper towel and very lightly buttering the skillet every few crepes as needed. You should have 20 to 24. (You need 20 for the cake.)
• To assemble, stir the cream until smooth. Lay 1 crepe on a cake plate. Using an offset spatula, cover with a thin layer of chocolate cream (2 to 3 tablespoons), leaving a 1/4-inch border. Cover with a crepe and repeat to make a stack of 20, with the best-looking crepe on top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
• To serve, top with whipped cream, nuts and dust with cocoa.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT MERINGUE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease with shortening two 9-inch round cake pans. Line pan bottoms with cooking parchment paper; grease again, and sprinkle pans with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg yolks with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Scrape bowl; beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Spread batter evenly in pans.
• In another large bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in ground hazelnuts. Place spoonfuls of meringue on top of batter in each pan; carefully spread to cover batter to within 1/4 inch of sides of pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on cooling racks 15 minutes. Carefully run knife around sides of pans to loosen cake and meringue. Remove from pans, and place meringue-side-up on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• For topping, using chilled large bowl and beaters, beat whipping cream using electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup of the hazelnut spread and the powdered sugar; beat until stiff peaks form.
• To assemble cake, place cake layer on serving plate or cake stand, meringue-side-up. Place remaining 1/3 cup hazelnut spread in small microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered on High 15 to 30 seconds or just until softened. Carefully spread softened hazelnut spread over meringue layer. Top with remaining cake layer, meringue-side-up. Top with dollops of whipped cream mixture, spreading slightly to cover top of cake. Garnish top with candies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

HAZELNUT LATTE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Generously butter two 20cm sandwich tins (ideally about 4.5cm deep or deeper) and line the bases with baking parchment. Put the hazelnuts into a food processor with 2 tbsp of the sugar, then pulse until finely chopped. Don't expect them to go as fine as ground almonds and avoid over-processing, as this can make the nuts greasy.
• Put the butter, milk and coffee powder into a small pan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Set aside.
• Now start the sponge. Crack the eggs into the bowl of a tabletop mixer, add the rest of the sugar and beat for 5-10 mins (or beat with an electric hand mixer in a large deep bowl for 15-20 mins) or until thick and billowy, and the mixture leaves a trail that holds for a couple of seconds. It is really important that the mixture has thickened, almost doubling in size, in order to achieve a light sponge.
• Mix the cornflour, plain flour and 1/2 tsp salt, and sift onto the whisked mixture. Using a large metal spoon, fold in very carefully. Sprinkle in the ground nuts, then fold these in too. Pour the warm milk mix around the edge of the bowl, and fold this in. Don't rush the folding, and continue with a light lifting and cutting motion until ribbons of liquid stop appearing. Divide the batter between the tins, then bake for 25 mins until risen to the middle and a burnished gold.
• Loosen the sides of the cakes with a palette knife, then cool in the tins on a rack for 20 mins (the cakes will level off, and possibly go a bit wrinkly, but that's normal). Carefully remove from the tins and cool, paper-side down.
• Make the syrup and the frosting while you wait. Put the sugar and 4 tbsp water into a small pan. Bring to the boil and leave for 1 min then take off the heat. Stir in the coffee and alcohol. Beat the mascarpone, hazelnut chocolate spread and coffee together with a wooden spoon, until silky and even.
• To assemble, cut the cold cakes horizontally across the middle, using a long serrated knife. With a pastry brush, dampen the cut surfaces all over with the syrup. Use it all. Put one cake layer onto a plate or stand, cut-side up. Spoon on 3 generous dollops of the frosting, then spread to the edges with a palette knife. The frosting should be about 5mm deep. Repeat with the next two layers. When you come to the final layer, place it cut-side down, so that the top of the cake is smooth. Paddle the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. The layer on the top can be thin. Clean the knife then use it to press a neat ring of nuts into the frosting on the side of the cake. Brush any excess away.
• For the topping, put 3 tbsp of the cream, 1 tsp icing sugar and 1 tbsp milk into a small bowl. Put the rest of the cream, milk and sugar, plus most of the dissolved coffee into a larger bowl. Whip the white cream, then the coffee cream, until they look like soft cappuccino froth, thick but still able to flow from a spoon. Pour most of the coffee cream onto the cake and push it out to cover the top. Whisk a little more coffee into what is left, so that it turns a few shades darker.
• To decorate with a characteristic latte 'tree' shape, load a pointy teaspoon with a little of the white cream. Start at the base of the tree, just right of the centre of the cake. Push the spoon into the coffee cream and let the white cream flow slowly. As it flows, drag the spoon then pull it gently away, to make a leaf-like shape. Repeat with more white cream on the left to make another leaf, then repeat 3-4 times, working up the cake top graduating from large to small leaves. Use the same technique to sweep a couple of arc shapes around the edge of the pattern.
• Use the dark cream to add detail to each leaf - you can paint this on with the tip of a teaspoon or a clean cocktail stick. Use a cocktail stick to drag the points of each leaf up and outwards. Draw a line down from the top of the 'tree' to the bottom to finish. The cake will keep for up to 2 days. Loosely cover any cut edges but avoid covering the cake directly as you could damage the decoration. Serve from the fridge or at cool room temperature.

ESTERHAZY TORTE: EUROPEAN HAZELNUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Cut the hazelnut cake into 4 even strips, 4 inches wide. Trim the edges of the cake if necessary.
• To make the Apricot Soaking Liquid, combine 1/2 cup apricot jam with 1/4 cup hot water and mix well.
• ​To make the buttercream, combine the butter, salt, vanilla, almond extract, and confectioner's sugar in the bowl of a tabletop mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Begin beating on low speed until everything is combined then increase the speed to high and beat until fluffy.
• ​Add the pastry cream, a few tablespoons at a time. It is very important to make sure that the pastry cream has come to room temperature. This can be done by microwaving it or warming over a double boiler. If the pastry cream is cold, the butter will solidify and will produce a very lumpy buttercream.
• Beat the buttercream until it is completely smooth and fluffy. Set aside.
• ​To make the Faux Fondant Icing, combine the confectioner's sugar, milk, and butter in a bowl, and whisk together until smooth. If the mixture is still clumpy and dry, add some more milk. Just add enough that it is easy to whisk. Adding too much liquid will cause the fondant to become translucent. Set aside.
• ​Carefully melt the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Place the melted chocolate in a piping bag and but a very small opening at the bottom.
• ​Warm the 1/4 cup apricot jam so that it spreads easily onto the cake.
• To assemble the cake, spread the apricot jam onto one strip of cake. Pour the faux fondant over the jam.
• ​Pipe 4-5 thin lines of chocolate the length of the cake. Using a toothpick, create a feathered effect with a toothpick, by drawing lines the opposite direction of the chocolate. (see video)
• ​Place one of the cake layers on a serving dish lined with some strips of parchment all around the edges.
• ​Brush with the apricot liquid. Pipe one third of the buttercream over it.
• ​Repeat these steps with the other two layers, saving a little buttercream to lightly spread on the sides of the cake.
• ​Place the fondant covered strip of cake on top.
• ​Spread the remaining buttercream all around the sides of the cake and press the almond slices onto the cake.
• ​Allow the cake to set for at least one hour or up to overnight before slicing. This can be done by chilling it in the refrigerator.
• This cake tastes best at room temperature.
• Flavor variations:
• chocolate buttercream: add 7 ounces melted chocolate to the buttercream and beat until smooth
• ​chocolate hazelnut buttercream: add 1/2 cup or more Nutella or your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread to the buttercream and beat until smooth
• ​raspberry buttercream: add 1/3 cup or more raspberry preserves to the buttercream and beat until smooth
• ​cherry buttercream: add 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry liquid to the buttercream
• ​Add thinly sliced strawberries in between the cake layers, under the buttercream
• ​Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°
• Spray 8″ round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment circles, cut to fit pan. Spray pan again, coating the parchment paper. Set aside.
• In bowl of stand mixer combine first 6 ingredients. With paddle attachment on low, stir to combine.
• Add in remaining ingredients, one at a time with mixer still on low. Once all ingredients are mixed together turn speed up to medium low and mix for 2 minutes.
• Divide batter evenly among the 2 cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until center is set and toothpick comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
• In bowl of stand mixer, fitted with whisk attachment, beat your heavy cream until stiff peaks form, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to another bowl and place in refrigerator until ready to use.
• In stand mixer beat cream cheese and chocolate hazelnut spread until smooth. SLowly add in powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth and incorporated.
• Fold in reserved whipped cream.
• Level one of the cakes, so it isn't domed. Spread 1/2 cup of the Chocolate Hazelnut Spread on top of cake.. Next spread half of the Filling mixture on top, spreading out to 1 inch away from edge of cake. Top with the other cake. Place remaining filling mixture on top.
• Microwave remaining 1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread for 30-45 seconds until pourable consistency and drizzle over top. Top with Chocolate Hazelnut Candy.
• Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Microwave cream in a large bowl on high until steaming.
• Add chocolate; let stand 5 minutes.
• Stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
• Cover surface directly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.
• Cake: Heat oven to 350°F.
• You'll need two 9 x 2-in. round cake pans, greased and floured.
• Whisk cocoa powder and water in a medium bowl, then Nutella and buttermilk, Frangelico and vanilla.
• Beat sugar, butter, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed 3 minutes or until pale.
• Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
• On low speed beat in flour in 3 additions alternating with cocoa mixture in 2 additions, beating just until blended.
• Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes until a pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on rack 10 minutes.
• Run a knife around edge of each layer; turn out on rack and cool completely.
• Insert several toothpicks halfway up side around both cake layers.
• Using picks as a guide, cut layers in half with a long serrated knife.
• Filling & frosting: Beat cold chocolate mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted.
• Put Nutella into a bowl; stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate mixture until smooth. Fold into remaining chocolate mixture until combined.
• Remove 2 1/2 cups to a bowl; stir in hazelnuts for filling.
• Reserve remainder for frosting.
• To assemble: Place 1 cake layer on serving plate; spread with 1/3 the filling (1 scant cup).
• Top with second layer and 1/2 the remaining filling; repeat with third layer and remaining filling.
• Top with last cake layer.
• Spread a thin layer of frosting over top and sides; refrigerate 15 minutes to firm.
• Spread top and sides with remaining frosting.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Garnish just before serving.
• Plan ahead: Wrap cooled cake layers and make frosting (through Step 1) up to 2 days ahead.
• Cover the frosted cake and refrigerate up to 3 days.