As you could have noticed, I haven’t posted as many blog posts as I intended to do over the past two months. Because I started a new job with busy schedules, I didn’t have the time on my agenda to focus on my blog. But hopefully, with the holiday season coming up, I will be able to share with you some of my favorite recipes for the holidays.

During the holidays, baking is probably one of my favorite activities mostly because it’s the perfect time of the year to make decadent desserts of all sorts. One of my favorites would be my Hazelnut cake with chocolate ganache.

Ready to bake! 🙂

Just out of the oven!

Although hazelnut cake is an all-time classic, this particular cake is one of my own cake recipes. And over the years, I made this cake countless times and every person who tasted it has enjoyed the experience.

Trimmed cakes!

Cream cheese filling!

Now it’s time to spread the filling on the first layer!

Here is my layer-cake!

Chocolate chips melting in the hot heavy cream to make the ganache

Here is my layer-cake!

Hazelnut cake with chocolate ganache with a very rustic look.

One day, I basically decided to combine some of my favorite dessert components together and the result, in my humble opinion, was a success. Ever since, I try to make this cake for the holidays whenever I can.

Hazelnut cake with chocolate ganache, garnished with Ferrero Rocher candies!

Hazelnut cake with chocolate ganache

Of course, it’s a rich cake due to the chocolate ganache, however, after one bite, your calorie fears will disappear because you will be asking for more than just one bite.

INGREDIENTS

Hazelnut Cake:

2 cups of Flour

1 cup of Sugar

1 cup of Milk

3 Eggs

½ cup of Butter (125 g stick), softened

1 and ½ teaspoons of Baking powder

½ teaspoon of Baking soda

½ teaspoon of Salt

1 teaspoon of Hazelnut syrup or Hazelnut liquor

½ cup of chopped toasted Hazelnuts

Ferrero Rocher Candies (Optional for decoration)

Cream cheese filling:

8 ounces of Cream Cheese

1 cup of Confectioners’ sugar, sifted

½ cup of Butter, Softened

1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache:

1 cup of 35% Old fashion heavy cream

1 cup and ¹⁄₃ cup of Dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° F
2. Butter and flour two round cake pans.
3. In a bowl whisk all dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, together. And set aside.
4. In a stand mixer, on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until the mixture turns light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix after each addition. Mix in Hazelnut syrup or Hazelnut liquor.
6. At low speed, add flour mix in two portions alternating with milk. Mix until everything is well combined. Stir in hazelnuts.
7. With a scale, divide the batter evenly between the two pans in order for the cakes to be identical.
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
9. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before unmolding the cakes and transfer them from the pans to the wire rack to cool completely.
10. For the cream cheese filling, in a stand mixer bowl, cream together cream cheese and butter until the mixture turns creamy and homogeneous. Mix in vanilla extract before adding gradually confectioners’ sugar.
11. Cut the dome of each cake in order to level them. Brush each cake with hazelnut syrup or liquor (depending of which of the two you choose to use). Spread evenly the cream cheese filling on the first layer of cake. Place the second cake upside down (the bottom of the cake should face up) on top.
12. For the ganache, heat the heavy cream, in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove, and pour it on top of the chocolate chips to melt. Using a spatula, stir the chocolate mix so every chip can melt in the heavy cream.
13. Place the tiered cake on a wire rack and pour the chocolate ganache on top of it until the whole surface is coated.
14. Put the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or until the ganache is completely set. Decorate the layer cake with Ferrero Rocher candies and serve.

Tips :

I choose to decorate with Ferrero Rocher candies, but it’s also possible to sprinkle some toasted and crushed nuts on top of the cake for decoration.

In order to ensure that the cakes are perfectly cooled when I spread the cream cheese filling, I usually make the hazelnut cakes the day before.

This cake would make the ultimate perfect coffee cake, so do not hesitate to have a cup of hot coffee with a generous slice of cake.