This is the best Nutella Cake ever! Prepare to be blown away by the luscious delight of this Nutella Cake! Picture this - delectable layers of moist chocolate cake sandwiched together with velvety-smooth Nutella buttercream that will send you straight to dessert paradise.
This Nutella cake recipe is for any Nutella fans! This cake has incredible soft and moist chocolate cake layers covered with a rich and creamy Nutella buttercream.
Whether you're an experienced baker looking to impress your guests or a passionate foodie in search of the ultimate treat, this Nutella layer cake is bound to steal your heart and make you yearning for another slice.
For more layer cake recipes, try Strawberry Lemon Cake, Strawberry and Blueberry Layer Cake and Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make: This cake is a no-fuss kind of cake. It is super simple and easy to make, and the assembling of this cake, takes no time
- Chocolate Cake Layer: This cake has the most soft and moist chocolate cake layers, that are so easy to make. They require no mixer, just as whisk and two bowls.
- Nutella Buttercream: This smooth buttercream is super easy to make and the perfect Nutella buttercream frosting.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy cake. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
- Cornstarch: Helps give a light and soft cake
- Sugars: The granulated sugar helps sweeten, as well as give moister to the cake. The brown sugar helps add extra toffee flavor to the cake.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help leaven and rise the cake, so it has light and fluffy texture.
- Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the chocolate cake.
- Egg: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking, so it comes to room temperature. (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Coffee: Use freshly brewed coffee. The coffee helps boost the chocolate flavor. It can be replaced with hot water if you don't want to add coffee to the cake.
- Oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
- Sour cream: Sour cream gives lots of moister to the cake, as well as helps give the cake a great structure.
- Unsweetened Cocoa powder: I use high quality dutch process cocoa powder for the best flavor, my favorite is from Valrhona.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Use a good quality chocolate chips or chopped chocolate for the buttercream.
- Nutella: The Nutella is used in the buttercream.
- Butter: The butter is used in the buttercream. Bring it out and let it come to room temperature.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CAKE LAYERS
Here is how to make and bake this Nutella Cake. This recipe needs a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer. You will need a 2x 20 cm/8-inch cake pans lined with parchment paper.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven and line 2x 20 cm/8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
STEP 1: Start by making the coffee and weigh it out so it can cool down a bit while preparing the other ingredients. In a large bowl, sift all of the dry ingredients together. Give it a stir to make sure everything has been combined.
STEP 2: In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, including coffee, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined. Be sure to not mix the ingredients too vigorously so the eggs don’t get over mixed.
STEP 3: Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there are no lumps left in the batter.
STEP 4: Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake them for 28-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cakes from the cake tins and let the cakes cool down completely.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - BUTTERCREAM AND ASSEMBLING
STEP 1: Melt the chocolate and set it aside. Sift the powdered sugar. Add the butter and powdered sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or use a hand mixer. On low speed mix it together. Once the butter and powdered sugar has combined, mix it together for 3 minutes on medium/high speed, until light and fluffy.
STEP 2: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the melted dark chocolate and Nutella and mix it in until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla extract. Give the buttercream a final mix so everything has been incorporated.
STEP 3: Start by cutting the very top of the cooled down cake layers so they have an even top. Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.
STEP 4: Add 3 big scoops of buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and cover the whole cake in a thin crumb coat. Add the remaining buttercream, and even it out over the cake. Optional, make a wavy design with the buttercream, using the offset spatula. Finely chop the hazelnuts and decorate with the hazelnuts around the edge of the cake.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Yes, you can make both the cake layers and the buttercream the day before, so you only need to assemble it the next day. Store the cake layers on the kitchen counter wrapped in plastic wrap, out of direct sunlight. Store the buttercream in the fridge in an airtight container. Before using it, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then give a remix in the you stand mixer, until smooth, and it ready to be assembled.
I recommend using a cake tester. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of the cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.
STORAGE
Store this Nutella Cake at room temperature covered by a lid or in an airtight container. It's best enjoyed within a 2-3 days.
Other Layer Cake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Nutella Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 240 g warm coffee or water
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 100 g brown sugar
- 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 110 g vegetable oil
- 180 g sour cream room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM
- 230 g butter room temperature
- 240 g powdered sugar
- 170 g Nutella
- 60 g dark chocolate chips
- ½-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 20 g raw unsalted hazelnuts
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and line 2x 20 cm/8 inch baking pans with parchment paper.
- Start by making the coffee and weigh it out so it can cool down a bit while preparing the other ingredients.240 g warm coffee or water
- In a bowl, sift all of the dry ingredients together. Give it a stir to make sure everything has been combined.240 g all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoon cornstarch, 200 g granulated sugar, 100 g brown sugar, 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, including coffee, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined. Be sure to not mix the ingredients too vigorously so the eggs don’t get over mixed.110 g vegetable oil, 180 g sour cream, 2 large eggs room temperature, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there are no lumps left in the batter. Alternatively, if you wish to not mix it by hand, mix it together in a bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment or with an electric mixer.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pans and bake them for 28-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cakes from the cake tins and let the cakes cool down completely.
NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM
- Melt the chocolate and set it aside.60 g dark chocolate chips
- Sift the powdered sugar. Add the butter and powdered sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or use a hand mixer. On low speed mix it together. Once the butter and powdered sugar has combined, mix it together for 3 minutes on medium/high speed, until light and fluffy.230 g butter, 240 g powdered sugar
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the melted dark chocolate and Nutella and mix it in until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the vanilla extract, start with ½ teaspoon and add more if needed. Give the buttercream a final mix so everything has been incorporated.170 g Nutella, ½-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
ASSEMBLING
- Start by cutting the very top of the cooled down cake layers so they have an even top. Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.
- Add 3 big scoops of buttercream and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and cover the whole cake in a thin crumb coat. Add the remaining buttercream, and even it out over the cake. Optional, make a wavy design with the buttercream, using the offset spatula.
- Finely chop the hazelnuts and decorate with the hazelnuts around the edge of the cake.20 g raw unsalted hazelnuts
Randi
The best cake ever! Both the chocolate cake and buttercream are incredible