This Nutella cake is three layers of chocolate cake sandwiched between decadent Nutella buttercream, then topped with a Nutella ganache drizzle and garnished with hazelnut chocolates. An elegant and decadent dessert option.
When I’m looking to impress, I turn to dessert recipes such as red velvet brownies, berry chantilly cake, eggnog cake, black forest cupcakes or this fabulous Nutella cake. If you’re a chocolate lover, you’ll adore the rich flavor and delectable texture of this chocolate cake recipe!
Nutella is delicious with berries, on toast or simply eaten out of the jar. It’s even better when you put it into dessert form like this delicious Nutella chocolate cake!
Table of Contents
Nutella Cake Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need all purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, buttermilk, Nutella, instant coffee, eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, semisweet chocolate, heavy cream, butter, powdered sugar and chocolate hazelnut candies such as Ferrero Rocher.
How Do You Make Nutella Cake?
There are multiple components to this cake. None of them are difficult, it just requires a little planning to make sure you have time to complete all the steps! Start by preheating the oven, then soak cake baking strips in water, coat your cake pans in cooking spray and line them in parchment.
For The Cake
Sift together the dry ingredients in the bowl of a mixer, then whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Turn on the mixer on low speed, and gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing continuously until you have a runny batter. Pour the cake batter into the cake pans, then bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a wire rack and cool completely.
For The Ganache
For the ganache, place the semisweet chocolate in a large bowl. Heat the cream in a pot on the stove until it starts to bubble around the edges. Pour the cream into the chocolate and let it sit for 10 minutes. Whisk the cream and chocolate together, then add Nutella and stir until you have a smooth and shiny ganache. Reserve some of the ganache for the frosting, and save the rest for the decorative drip on the cake.
For The Frosting
To make the Nutella buttercream frosting, beat the butter with a mixer until it is smooth and creamy. Mix in some of the powdered sugar, as well as the vanilla extract. Add the rest of the sugar, one cup at a time and continue beating until light and fluffy. Finally, mix in the reserved ganache.
For Assembly
After the cake layers, frosting and ganache are ready, it’s time to put everything together. Use a serrated knife to trim the cakes to make sure they’re completely flat. Place a 10 inch cake board on a cake turntable. Use a dab of frosting to attach an 8 inch board to the 10 inch board. Put a dab of frosting on the 8 inch board to glue the first cake layer to the board. Pipe frosting onto the first cake layer. Add the second layer on top, then repeat the piping process and put the final layer on top. Trim around the sides of the cake to create flat sides.
Spread a thin layer of frosting over the cake to make a crumb coat, then chill the cake. Spread a thick layer of frosting over the entire cake with an offset spatula. Scrape the top and sides of the cake with a cake scraper. This creates a smooth finish, and turn the turntable as you work. Chill the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes.
For the ganache drip, test the consistency of your ganache before you get started by piping it onto the side of an empty cake pan. You want the ganache to drip halfway down the cake pan. If it drips to the bottom, it’s too runny and needs to set up more. If it doesn’t drip, you can heat it fo for a few seconds in the microwave to make it runnier. When you have the correct consistency, use the piping bag to create drips along the side of the cake, then fill in the top of the cake with the remaining ganache. Chill the cake for 15 minutes to set the ganache. Pipe rosettes of frosting onto the cake, Place a Ferrero Rocher candy on top of each frosting rosette and serve.
Tips For The Perfect Cake
- Practice piping a few rosettes on the parchment paper before you pipe them onto the cake. You can scrape the practice rosettes back into the bowl to reuse the frosting.
- The cake layers, frosting and ganache can be stored at room temperature overnight before assembling the cake the following day or for 3 days in the refrigerator. The finished cake can be stored for 3 days at room temperature or 5 days in the refrigerator. To freeze, wrap the cake whole or in individual portions and store in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before bringing to room temperature to serve.
- Freezing or chilling the cake for 10 minutes in between coats also helps to achieve a smooth finish. To create a super smooth finish, heat the scraper in hot water and dry before sweeping it around the sides for a final time.
- It’s important to use cake baking strips which wrap around the sides of the cake pan before the cake goes into the oven. These strips help to create flat cakes. You can purchase cake strips online or at some craft or kitchen stores.
Quick Tip
These cakes bake at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. This process helps to create even layers without rounded tops.
Recipe FAQs
Nutella cake contains layers of chocolate cake that are also flavored with the sweet spread. It also involves Nutella buttercream, as well as a Nutella flavored ganache.
Oil makes a cake more moist, which is what I use in this Nutella cake recipe. Butter tends to have a bit more flavor, but it can result in a drier texture.
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Your family and friends will be so impressed by this beautiful and delicious Nutella cake recipe!
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Nutella Cake
Equipment
- 3 cake pan strips
- 3 8 inch cake pans
- stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- 10 inch cake board
- 8 inch cake board
- cake turntable
- cake scraper
- piping bags
- large round piping tip
- large closed star piping tip
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2⅔ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons baking power
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 1⅓ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ Nutella
- 2½ teaspoons instant coffee dissolved in 1⅓ cups hot water
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- cooking spray
For the Nutella ganache
- 1¾ cup semisweet chocolate chopped
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- ⅔ cup Nutella
For the frosting
- 1 pound butter
- 7 cups powered sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups Nutella ganache
For the garnish
- 12 Ferrro Rocher chocolates
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and prepare the baking strips by soaking them in water.
- Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the base of the pans with a circle of parchment paper and line the sides with a thin strip of parchment.
- Combine the dry ingredients by sifting the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl then stir in the sugar.
- In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, Nutella, diluted coffee, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Gradually pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture while mixing continuously to prevent any lumps forming. The batter will be quite runny.
- Pour the batter evenly between the three pans.
- Bake the cakes for 60-70 minutes. Check the cakes after 60 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached remove the cakes from the oven. If the batter is still wet, bake for a further 5-10 minutes before retesting.
- Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and remove the baking strips. Allow them to cool in the pans for 15minutes, then carefully invert them onto the cooling rack and remove the parchment paper.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before wrapping them in plastic wrap.
- Set them aside to assemble the next day or if you are assembling the cake the same day, pop them into the freezer for 30 minutes before you prepare them for stacking.
For the Nutella ganache
- Place the chopped chocolate into a large bowl.
- Pour the cream into a small saucepan and stir over a medium heat. Heat until it reaches 185°F or until it starts to bubble around the edges.
- Turn off the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let it sit for 10 minutes to allow the cream to melt the chocolate. This step will also help to prevent the ganache becoming grainy.
- To create a smooth ganache, start whisking the cream and chocolate together in the center of the bowl. Once the ganache starts to form, whisk in the remaining cream and chocolate from the sides of the bowl.
- Add the Nutella and mix until smooth and shiny.
- Set 1 1/2 cups aside for the frosting and pour the remainder into a heatproof bowl for the drip design on the cake. The ganache will thicken as it cools.
For the frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
- Slowly mix in 1-2 cups of powdered sugar and the vanilla extract.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing slowly until it is all combined. Beat faster for 2-3 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
- Mix in the reserved 1 1/2 cups of the Nutella ganache until combined. If the ganache has become too firm, rewarm in short bursts in the microwave until it has softened.
For assembly
- Use a large, serrated knife to trim off the tops of the cakes. Each layer should be approximately 1¼ inch thick.
- On a cake turntable, secure an 8-inch cake board onto a 10-inch cake board with a little frosting.
- Secure the first cake layer onto the board with a little more frosting.
- Place a large round tip into a piping bag and half fill with the Nutella frosting. Pipe a layer of frosting onto the cake layer. Repeat this process with the second layer and top with the third layer.
- Use a large, serrated knife to trim around the sides of the cake. Trim away any cake that overhangs the 8-inchboard to create flat sides. This will help to create a smooth covering of frosting.
- Remove the offcuts and spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake to create a crumb coat. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes until set.
- Using an off-set spatula, liberally spread a thick layer of frosting over the cake. Scrape the top and around the sides with a tall cake scraper to create a smooth finish. You may need to apply a few coats to get a smooth finish. Freezing or chilling the cake for 10 minutes in between coats also helps to achieve a smooth finish.
- To create a super smooth finish, heat the scraper in hot water and dry before sweeping it around the sides for a final time.
- To firm up the frosting before adding the drip, chill the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
For the Nutella ganache drip
- If the ganache has started to harden, rewarm it in short bursts in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water until it is the consistency of thick syrup.
- To test the consistency, place a cake tin upside down onto the turntable.
- Fill a piping bag a third full of the ganache and cut 3/16ths of an inch off the end.
- Hold the piping bag above the edge of the cake tin and squeeze gently, then firmly in intervals to create different size drips down the side of the tin as you turn the turntable. If the drips stops a third to halfway down it is ready to use. If they run all the way down it is too runny so wait a few minutes before trying again. If it doesn't drip, then scrape the ganache out of the piping bag and warm again to make it runnier.
- Swap out the cake tin for the cake and create random drips around the top edge of the cake.
- Fill in the top with the remaining ganache, spreading it out with the off-set spatula.
- Chill the cake for 15 minutesto set the top before piping the rosettes.
For the decorations
- On a piece of parchment paper, draw around an 8-inch round board to create a circle and cut it out.
- Fold the circle in half, then half again, then fold the quarter into three. Open it out, it should have 12 folds.
- Place the circle on top of the cake and use a toothpick to mark the cake at each fold. These are your guide points for piping the rosettes.
- Place a closed star tip into a piping bag and half fill the bag with the remaining frosting.
- Pipe frosting rosettes onto the marked points on the cake.
- Top each rosette with a Ferrero Rocher chocolate, then cut into slices and serve.
Notes
- Baking cakes at low temperatures and using baking strips helps to create even layers and prevents them from getting rounded tops.
- The cake layers, frosting and ganache can be stored at room temperature overnight before assembling the cake the following day or for 3 days in the refrigerator. The finished cake can be stored for 3 days at room temperature or 5 days in the refrigerator. To freeze, wrap the cake whole or in individual portions and store in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before bringing to room temperature to serve.
The cake is amazing, picture perfect. Who can resist Nutella and in the form of cake I’m totally in to make this.
I can’t stop thinking of your berry chantilly cake, but this chocolate cake is none to compare! Love every bite of this chocolate goodness
Loved this dessert! Perfect for an upcoming birthday I have. Thank you for sharing!
Wow this Nutella cake was so good and so easy to follow. Thank you.
Oh my gosh, this Nutella cake is so pretty and definitely looks delicious. I can’t wait to try this at home!
This cake is stunning. I never thought I could make something like this but the instructions are so clear and easy to follow. I was pretty impressed with myself.