How was everyone’s long weekend? I spent mine enjoying good food, long naps and meaningful time with family. It felt great to unplug for a few days and step away from routines — but I’m back now, and I couldn’t wait to share this cake with you. This is a rich chocolate cake studded with hazelnuts, layered with a hazelnut cream cheese frosting and finished with more toasted hazelnuts. Ready? Grab a fork.
This cake is a showstopper and best shared — it’s large and decadent, so make sure you have a few people to help you finish it. I adapted the recipe from Molly Yeh, cutting back the sugar, baking the batter in a single pan, extending the bake time and swapping the original buttercream for a cream cheese frosting. The swap might not make it objectively healthier, but it gives a delightful tang that pairs beautifully with the hazelnuts and chocolate.
Although the cake uses a significant amount of ground hazelnuts, it doesn’t become heavy like many nut-based cakes. A generous amount of baking soda and baking powder helps it rise, producing a light, tender crumb. The cake is oil-based, which keeps it exceptionally moist. The crumb is somewhat looser and more open than a standard chocolate cake, but the texture is lovely — especially when balanced by the tangy cream cheese frosting.
The frosting is the highlight. Part of it is mixed with ground hazelnuts and spread between the cake layers, while the top layer is smooth and classic cream cheese frosting. I made a smaller amount because I prefer less frosting, but you can easily double it if you want to cover the sides and add extra filling between the layers.
Baking this cake in one deep pan takes time, and it cools slowly, so it’s ideal to bake it the day before serving. The cake is delicate, so slicing it horizontally for layering requires care. If you’re nervous about splitting it, you can leave it as a single-layer cake and spread the frosting on top — it will still be delicious.
Let’s bake!
Chocolate Hazelnut Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups caster sugar
- 1 cup raw hazelnuts
- 2 eggs, at room temp
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup freshly boiled water
For the frosting
- 3/4 cup cream cheese, at room temp
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temp (115 gms)
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1/3 cup cream, at room temp (whipping cream recommended)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Toasted hazelnuts to top the cake optional but recommended
Instructions
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Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl. Add the salt and sugar, mix and set aside.
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Pulse the hazelnuts in a grinder or food processor until finely crumbed. Reserve 1/4 cup and add the remainder to the flour mixture. Stir to combine.
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Grease a 9-inch springform pan (at least 3 inches tall). Preheat the oven to 175°C.
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In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Use a hand mixer briefly if needed to smooth the mixture.
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Fold the flour-hazelnut mixture into the wet ingredients, alternating with the boiling water. The batter will be thin; if there are lumps, blend briefly with a hand mixer.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan and continue baking for 30–40 minutes more, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs. If the top darkens too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
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Let the cake cool completely. Run a knife around the edges and release the springform. Level the top with a sharp knife and slice the cake horizontally in half.
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Carefully loosen the top layer with a spatula. Place a plate upside down on top and gently flip to remove the top layer. If you prefer, transfer the bottom layer to a serving plate before assembling.
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To make the frosting, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy. Sift in the icing sugar (start with 3/4 cup), beat on low, then add more sugar if needed. Finally, beat in the cream and vanilla until the frosting is light and spreadable.
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Stir the reserved 1/4 cup ground hazelnuts into half of the frosting and spread this hazelnut frosting on the bottom cake layer.
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Gently place the top layer over the frosted bottom layer and press lightly to set.
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Spread the remaining frosting over the top and finish with toasted hazelnuts. The cake is best at room temperature; if the frosting is very soft, chill for 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
* Recipe adapted from Molly Yeh.