Moist (and gluten-free) hazelnut cake meets creamy chocolate frosting! This might be my most favorite layer cake EVER. And it might be a bit embarrassing but I made this cake way back when I was still pregnant, I just did not have time to edit the photos yet. So its been sitting on my drive this whole time and I totally forgot how beautiful and delicious it had turned out! Hazelnuts are my absolute favorite nuts and in combination with chocolate: HEAVEN. Maybe its because I grew up with Nutella. Or because it just is a simply dang good combo. I’d say try for yourself!
I already announced some changes coming to Sugary & Buttery this year, and I have not shared any specifics mainly because I am still working on it and figuring it out. But one thing I know is that the recipes I share will be more and more gluten-free. To be honest, most of my latest recipes did not contain any gluten. That is not because I have been diagnosed with anything but simply because I feel better when I say NO to gluten.
Two years ago, after we had been trying to get pregnant for a while without any luck, I made some changes to my diet and one of those changes was cutting out gluten. And I realized that that little ‘tummy’ I was carrying around suddenly disappeared! It was all bloat from too much bread and pasta. I also felt much better and more energized. And, obviously, I got pregnant haha, but not sure if this is to thank for that.
Anyway, you will be seeing a lot more gluten-free content, I would say there will only occasionally be a recipe using good old all-purpose flour. I mean lets be honest, you can’t turn a classic sugar cookie or shortbread gluten-free! However, I never use ‘gluten-free’ flours and flour mixes. Those not only have absolutely no health benefits since they are pure empty starches, but they do not taste good in my opinion. They are like fillers. I love making recipes that are either naturally gluten free such as flourless cakes or sweets where flour is easily swapped out with nutritious oat, millet or nut flours.
So, if you’re just as obsessed with hazelnuts and chocolate, try these other 2 gluten-free recipes from my archives:
Chocolate Hazelnut Polenta Cake
Flourless Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
- 6 large eggs separated and at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or ⅓ vanilla bean pod
- 2 tbsp hazelnut liqueur (optional)
- 2 cups hazelnut meal/flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1.5 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 sticks butter, room temperature
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees and grease three 6-inch cake pans.
- Whip the egg whites and salt in your electric mixer until white foam begins to form. Increase the whipping speed and gradually add the sugar until stable and shiny meringue is formed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, vanilla and hazelnut liquor, and add into the meringue while whipping slowly.
- Fold in the hazelnuts and baking powder until completely blended.
- Pour the mixture into the baking pans, flatten the top and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in center of cake comes out completely dry.
- Cool the cake completely at room temperature and cut into 3 even layers.
- Slowly melt the chocolate chips in a glass bowl over a double boiler and stir until smooth. Let cool to almost room temperature, do not skip this cooling step!
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, cup by cup, and keep beating on slow speed.
- Continue beating for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides as needed, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooled chocolate and beat on high for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides as necessary, until the frosting is creamy, smooth, and very fluffy. Spread across the cake layer and assemble andfrost your cake.
Can you describe the crumb on this cake and comment on the sturdiness?