Ferrero Rocher Cake

This is the perfect chocolate cake recipe to make for special occasions like birthdays, a long overdue catch-up, or when you feel like treating yourself to some chocolate comfort. 

If you love trying out bakes that celebrate everyone's favourite chocolate spread, then you have to try these Nutella Cupcakes, these Nutella Thumbprint Cookies, or this recipe for Nutella Croissants made with puff pastry. 

Ingredients

To make this layered Nutella and hazelnut cake, you will need the simple ingredients listed below.

Extra-large eggs - The eggs I use weigh 56 grams out of their shell. If you're unsure if you have the same eggs, weigh the ones you have and adjust the amount accordingly.

Sunflower oil - This cake uses oil and butter for extra moistness! Use neutral-tasting vegetable oil for this recipe, like sunflower or canola oil.

Self-raising flour - If you can't find self-raising flour, you can use cake flour or all-purpose flour mixed with baking powder. Check the recommendations on the packaging of your baking powder to decide how much should be added.

Vanilla extract - Choose a quality vanilla extract rather than essence to give this recipe a great vanilla flavor. You can also use vanilla bean paste.

Unsalted butter - Use unsalted butter rather than salted butter for this recipe. It is also essential that you use room-temperature butter.

Dark and milk chocolate - The frosting uses a combination of milk chocolate and dark chocolate. I used 70% Lindt chocolate and Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate for this recipe. 

Ferrero Rocher - The cake is decorated with whole and sliced Ferrero Rocher chocolates. 

Nutella - Nutella is a hazelnut chocolate spread. For this recipe, it is used in the frosting and dotted in between the cake layers. 

Whipping cream - I love adding cream to my frosting for extra fluffiness. Adding the Nutella makes the frosting stiff, so the cream is needed to make it the ideal texture for spreading.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

To make this easy chocolate cake, follow the simple steps below. First, make the cake layers, allow them to cool, then make the frosting and assemble the cake. 

STEP 1: Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 3 x 22cm (9 inches) round cake tins with oil and parchment paper.  

STEP 2: Cream butter, sugar, and oil. Add the oil, butter, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium to high speed until light and fluffy, for about 4 minutes.

STEP 3: Add the whole eggs. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time. Beat well between each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl often.

STEP 4: Add dry ingredients. Into a large bowl, sift together the salt, cocoa, and self-raising flour, then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.

STEP 5: Add wet ingredients. Add the sour cream, warm coffee, and vanilla extract to a jug and whisk to combine., Slowly pour this into the cake mixture with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.

STEP 6: Bake. Divide the cake batter between the two prepared pans and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

STEP 7: Cool. Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 20 minutes before turning them onto a wire rack to cool completely. 

Instructions for Nutella frosting 

STEP 1: Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and butter.

STEP 2: Add to bowl. Set aside to cool slightly, then add the melted chocolate mixture to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the golden syrup and vanilla extract to the chocolate mixture and mix briefly.

STEP 3: Add icing sugar. Sift half of the icing sugar over the frosting mixture and whisk to combine. 

STEP 4: Add sour cream. Add the sour cream and beat until the frosting is well combined and homogeneous. It will look lumpy at first, just continue beating. 

STEP 5: Add remaining icing sugar. Sift over the remaining half of the powdered sugar and beat at medium-high speed until the frosting is fluffy.

STEP 6: Add Nutella. Add the Nutella to the frosting and beat to combine. With the mixer's motor running at medium-high speed, add the cream one tablespoon at a time and beat until fluffy. Add the frosting to a piping bag.

Instructions for assembly 

STEP 1: Level cake layers. Use a sharp knife to trim the domed tops off the cake layers if necessary. 

STEP 2: Layer with frosting. Secure the first cake layer onto a cake plate with some frosting. Pipe a layer of frosting over the surface of the cake and smooth this out with an offset spatula. 

STEP 3: Add nuts and Nutella. Sprinkle a third of the toasted nuts over the frosting and then use a teaspoon to add dollops of Nutella over the surface of the cake layer.  

STEP 4: Add second cake layer. Place the second layer of cake onto the first layer with the cut side facing down. Pipe a layer of frosting over the surface of the cake and add the chopped hazelnuts and Nutella as before. Add the third layer of cake on top, and press it down gently to secure it, making sure the layers align. 

STEP 5: Cover the cake with frosting. Pipe the frosting over the tops and sides of the cake and use a knife to create swirls in the frosting. 

STEP 6: Decorate. Use whole and halved Ferrero Rocher chocolates and the remaining toasted hazelnuts to decorate the top of the cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Variations

I think this chocolate hazelnut cake is perfect as is, but if, like me, you also love the combination of vanilla and chocolate, you can make vanilla cake layers instead of chocolate. Use this Vanilla Buttercream Birthday Cake recipe for the layers. 

Equipment

For this delicious cake recipe, you will need three 22cm cake tins, a wire rack for cooling, a disposable piping bag, and an electric mixer. You can use either an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer.

I always use a stand mixer or electric whisk to make the buttercream, as they help ensure a fluffy frosting. I also always use an accurate kitchen scale when baking.

Storage

Store any leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If it is very hot, then store this cake in the fridge.

To freeze this cake, cut the frosted cake into individual slices and wrap each slice of cake in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake in the fridge overnight, then bring the slices to room temperature before consuming.

This Ferrero Rocher cake recipe is absolutely delicious, and whoever you make it for is going to be SO impressed! It is a chocolate lover's dream and the epitome of a perfect chocolate cake. 

If you give this recipe a go, please leave a star review and comment below - I love hearing about your kitchen stories!

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Happy Baking

With Love,

Kitty