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Moist chocolate cake filled with hazelnuts, layered with a hazelnut cream cheese frosting!

Chocolate Hazelnut Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Moist chocolate cake filled with hazelnuts, layered with a hazelnut cream cheese frosting!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Makes: 2 -layer 8-inch cake
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Ingredients
  

  • <b>For the cake</b>
  • 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
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup freshly boiled water<br></br>
  • <b>For the frosting</b>
  • 3/4 cup cream cheese room temp
  • 1/3 cup cream
  • 1/2 cup butter room temp (115 gms)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br></br>
  • Toasted hazelnuts to top the cake optional but recommended

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and soda. Add the salt and sugar. Mix and set aside.<br></br>
  • Blitz the hazelnuts in a grinder or food processor until finely crumbed. Reserve 1/4 cup and add the remaining to the flour mixture. Stir to combine.<br></br>
  • Grease an 8" springform pan, at least 3 inches tall. Preheat the oven to 175 C.<br></br>
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Run a hand mixer through it to smoothen if needed.<br></br>
  • Fold in the flour mixture, alternating with the boiling water. You will have a thin batter and if there are any flour lumps, run the hand mixer through the batter again.<br></br>
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan, and poke a toothpick in the center. The cake will likely still be very uncooked in the center, so bake for another 30 to 45 minutes. This will differ from oven to oven, so keep an eye on it. Cover with foil if the cake is darkening too quickly, though I found it rose quite tall so the foil stuck to the top a little.<br></br>
  • Allow the cake to cool completely. Run a knife around the edges, then open the pan. Level out the top of the cake with a sharp knife, then slice it horizontally in the middle.<br></br>
  • Slide a large metal spatula in the center and loosen the top layer. Place a plate upside down on it, and gently lift the top layer off and set aside. If you'd like to transfer the cake to a cake pan, loosen the bottom layer as well, then slowly slide it on the cake pan.<br></br>
  • To make the frosting, beat all the ingredients very well until light and fluffy. A hand mixer is best here.<br></br>
  • Mix the reserved ground hazelnuts into half the frosting. Spread this on the bottom layer of the cake.<br></br>
  • Now slowly flip the plate with the top layer on it, back on to the layer of frosting. Press down lightly.<br></br>
  • Top with the remaining frosting, add toasted hazelnuts on top. The cake is best eaten at room temperature, but if the frosting is very soft, chill it for 20 minutes. Happy baking!<br></br>

Notes

* For a thicker layer of frosting to also cover the sides of the cake, double the frosting quantities.
*I don't know if the eggs in this recipe can be replaced easily, because the cake could easily become dense without them. But yoghurt is a possible substitute, about 1 cup. I haven't tried this, and cannot guarantee the same result, but if you try it, let me know!