Every day is a good day for a chocolate hazelnut cake, and this one is sure to impress. It contains chocolate and hazelnut, after all!
Chocolate is an endorphin so surely upon waking it’s a good idea to have a big hunk of this chocolate hazelnut cake and get a shot of happy?
I make this chocolate cake all the time, like ALL the time. Going over to a mate’s place, take the chocolate hazelnut cake. Need something sweet, bake the chocolate hazelnut cake. Have nothing to do, make the chocolate hazelnut cake. This even is a super splendid base for birthday cakes too. I often use the recipe as the base, double or triple (as needed) and then play with the frosting. Oreo, chocolate hazelnut cake anyone? Trust me. It works. That was for a special occasion. I don’t usually add junk foods into my recipes but sometimes you need to call on the big guns to impress small (and big) people, am I right!?
Ooh, did I mention you can use this to make sweet little chocolate hazelnut muffins too? Yep. you need to try that too.
It might sound like a versatile recipe and that’s because, it is. My favourite type of recipe. Add whatever nuts you like or leave them out. Just be sure to make sure you don’t muck with the amounts of dry versus wet ingredients too much or you may alter the end result.
There’s nothing super fancy about the ingredients, all of them can easily be sourced from any major supermarket.
The flavours together are jusy wonderful. Chocolate and hazelnut were made for each other like Salt & pepper. Except unlike Salt & Pepper you’ll be eating this by the spoonful until all evidence of cake is long gone… but that’s perfectly ok as this cake is filled with nutritious ingredients and, it also happens to be gluten free – WINNER!
Decorate your chocolate hazelnut cake with wild edible flowers and some crushed hazelnuts and you’ll also have yourself a very visually appealing chocolate log cake that your guests are going to think you bought.
Pre-heat oven to 180 Degrees Celsius and line a loaf tin with parchment paper
Add dry ingredients followed by water into a large mixing bowl and mix (or whisk) well until well combined – usually takes a minute or 2.
Pour contents into Loaf tin and bake in the oven for approx. 45 – 60 mins (check it at 40 minutes and reassess) I usually cook mine for 50 mins then turn the oven off and allow to stand in the oven for a further 10 mins – ovens can vary though, so keep an eye on it.
Allow cake to completely cool and set in the fridge.
While the cake is cooling in the fridgem, begin to prepare frosting by adding all ingredients into a food processor and processing until very smooth.
Once the cake is completely cooled. Generously, frost your cake with the ganache and top with cacao nibs, Raisins, hazelnuts and edible flowers for decoration.
For the cake, itself you could substitute the coconut sugar for Dates – do this by mixing dates with the 1 cup of water in a food processor – you may need to add a touch more almond flour. I haven’t personally tried this but let me know if you do.
You could also substitute the rice malt syrup in the ganache frosting for dates if you want the added fibre.
Cacao nibs are optional – I like the texture they add but they aren’t necessary.
I like coconut sugar but you could use any.
If like me raisins added to baked goods can you make you uneasy (I feel you, sometimes the texture changes and they aren’t quite the same) do what I do and instead of baking them in the cake I load them on top of the frosting
Ingredients
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 180 Degrees Celsius and line a loaf tin with parchment paper
Add dry ingredients followed by water into a large mixing bowl and mix (or whisk) well until well combined – usually takes a minute or 2.
Pour contents into Loaf tin and bake in the oven for approx. 45 – 60 mins (check it at 40 minutes and reassess) I usually cook mine for 50 mins then turn the oven off and allow to stand in the oven for a further 10 mins – ovens can vary though, so keep an eye on it.
Allow cake to completely cool and set in the fridge.
While the cake is cooling in the fridgem, begin to prepare frosting by adding all ingredients into a food processor and processing until very smooth.
Once the cake is completely cooled. Generously, frost your cake with the ganache and top with cacao nibs, Raisins, hazelnuts and edible flowers for decoration.
For the cake, itself you could substitute the coconut sugar for Dates – do this by mixing dates with the 1 cup of water in a food processor – you may need to add a touch more almond flour. I haven’t personally tried this but let me know if you do.
You could also substitute the rice malt syrup in the ganache frosting for dates if you want the added fibre.
Cacao nibs are optional – I like the texture they add but they aren’t necessary.
I like coconut sugar but you could use any.
If like me raisins added to baked goods can you make you uneasy (I feel you, sometimes the texture changes and they aren’t quite the same) do what I do and instead of baking them in the cake I load them on top of the frosting
