Chocolate Hazelnut Layer Cake

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread, buy two 13-oz jars)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons frangelico liqueur (optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups nutella
• 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
• toasted hazelnuts, chopped
• chocolate curls, chopped

Recipe

• 1 microwave cream in a large bowl on high until steaming.
• 2 add chocolate; let stand 5 minutes.
• 3 stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
• 4 cover surface directly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours.
• 5 cake: heat oven to 350°f.
• 6 you’ll need two 9 x 2-in. round cake pans, greased and floured.
• 7 whisk cocoa powder and water in a medium bowl, then nutella and buttermilk, frangelico and vanilla.
• 8 beat sugar, butter, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with mixer on medium-high speed 3 minutes or until pale.
• 9 beat in eggs 1 at a time.
• 10 on low speed beat in flour in 3 additions alternating with cocoa mixture in 2 additions, beating just until blended.
• 11 pour into prepared pans.
• 12 bake 30 to 35 minutes until a pick inserted in centers comes out clean. cool in pans on rack 10 minutes.
• 13 run a knife around edge of each layer; turn out on rack and cool completely.
• 14 insert several toothpicks halfway up side around both cake layers.
• 15 using picks as a guide, cut layers in half with a long serrated knife.
• 16 filling & frosting: beat cold chocolate mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted.
• 17 put nutella into a bowl; stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate mixture until smooth. fold into remaining chocolate mixture until combined.
• 18 remove 2 1/2 cups to a bowl; stir in hazelnuts for filling.
• 19 reserve remainder for frosting.
• 20 to assemble: place 1 cake layer on serving plate; spread with 1/3 the filling (1 scant cup).
• 21 top with second layer and 1/2 the remaining filling; repeat with third layer and remaining filling.
• 22 top with last cake layer.
• 23 spread a thin layer of frosting over top and sides; refrigerate 15 minutes to firm.
• 24 spread top and sides with remaining frosting.
• 25 refrigerate until ready to serve.
• 26 garnish just before serving.
• 27 plan ahead: wrap cooled cake layers and make frosting (through step 1) up to 2 days ahead.
• 28 cover the frosted cake and refrigerate up to 3 days.