Who doesn’t love Hazelnuts? This easy Hazelnut Cake recipe is sure to be hit for all hazelnut lovers out there. This cake recipe is uncomplicated and delicious and highlights the musty and earthy flavors of hazelnut that we love, wrapped around in the classic texture of light and fluffy chiffon.
It pays to know some unique recipes that you can make in a jiffy. Hazelnut cakes are not your usual kind of cake, and their uniqueness is where they derive most of their popularity. But it is also the fact that Hazelnut Cakes are so undeniably scrumptious that makes it one of the most timeless cakes ever made.
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Why Does This Recipe Work?
There are a ton of Hazelnut cake recipes that you can find on the Internet but this one is the best yet, for a few – and very good – reasons:
- It’s uncomplicated. The ingredients in this recipe are not hard to find. You might even have them in your pantry right now.
- Uncomplicated ingredients mean the recipe highlights the right ingredient. In this case, it’s the hazelnuts.
- You don’t need to have any complex kitchen equipment to get this recipe. If you have a baking oven, then you’re good to go.
- Since this recipe does not need to have any complex kitchen equipment, this recipe is perfect for amateur or beginner bakers at home.
- This recipe also does not take a lot of time to make. Rest assured, you can bake a 100% delicious cake in about an hour.
- Hazelnut Cakes are also a very versatile recipe. You can get creative in baking this cake by adding frosting or any other edible decorations you like.
- Hazelnut cakes are perfect for dessert or can be enjoyed during afternoon tea or with coffee.
- This ground Hazelnut cake recipe is also healthy. Hazelnuts are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids.
- This recipe is also kid friendly. If you have a picky eater for a child, you don’t need to worry because this Hazelnut is sweet and healthy at the same time.
- The texture of the cake is so fluffy and soft, perfect for breakfast with a cup of coffee.
What’s in This Hazelnut Cake Recipe?
Here are the ingredients that you would need to bake this great Hazelnut Cake:
All purpose flour (Plain flour): It provides the base for your cake and gives it its structure. Plain flour has 10-13% protein content and gives your cake the right amount of density and chewiness.
Whole hazelnuts (roasted and peeled): This is the star of the recipe and is essentially where the recipe derives its main flavors from. Hazelnuts have a subtle earthy taste and are characterized by their sweet and nutty flavors.
Orange zest: Orange zest enhances the flavors of the hazelnut cake while also giving it its characteristic delectable aroma. You may replace it with vanilla extract.
Baking powder: It is a leavening agent that makes your cake rise while baking.
Kosher salt: It is an additive-free salt. Kosher Salt is used to enhance the flavors of your cake.
Butter: Butter adds structure to your cake. It gives your cake its moist texture.
Granulated sugar: It is the main sweetening agent for your cake. It can be replaced with brown sugar.
Eggs: Eggs stabilize the structure of your cakes by helping bind the dry ingredients together. In baking always use large eggs.
Milk: It gives moisture to your cake recipe, and it also provides a lighter texture to cakes.
How To Make Hazelnut Cake - Step By Step
One: Roast the hazelnuts in a large skillet over medium heat.
Two: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 22 cm springform pan or a cake pan with parchment paper.
The first step is to process and combine your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Three: Place the flour, toasted hazelnuts, orange zest, baking powder, and salt in the food processor and process on high speed until the hazelnuts are finely grounded.
Four: Using a kitchen mixer or by hand, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
Five: Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
Six: Add the flour mixture, followed by the milk, and whisk until well combined/incorporated.
Seven: Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Eight: Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15-20 minutes, then take it out of the tin and put it on a wire rack to completely cool.
Top Tips!
To make sure that your cake comes out perfect, make sure to follow these top tips:
- Make sure to follow the recipe. Make sure to bake in the baking pan size specified; this will help you avoid baking cakes that are too thick or too thin.
- Do not forget to preheat your oven. Perfect cakes need to bake at the right temperature, or they might not bake properly at all.
- Make sure to use fresh ingredients. Some cakes don’t taste as good because the ingredients used aren’t fresh. Make sure to use fresh baking powder, eggs, and milk, as these ingredients can alter the taste of your cake the most.
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- Baking cake at the center of the oven will make sure that your cake bakes evenly.
- Do not overbeat your cake; this will make it too dense. Beat only until the ingredients are properly incorporated.
- Let your cake cool before taking it out of the pan. Taking it out of the pan while it’s fresh out of the oven will make it brake/crumble.
- Make sure to line your baking pans with baking/parchment paper. This will make it easier for you to take the cake out of the pan when it’s cool without it breaking.
- On special occasions, you can make a 2-layer cake by doubling the recipe and whipping some heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then spread it between the 2 cakes and sprinkle some chopped hazelnuts on top or icing sugar. It is also suitable as a birthday cake
Recipe Variation
- Some people prefer the lighter and fluffier texture to their cakes. I recommend using plain flour for this recipe. However, you can also use cake flour to achieve the same fluffy texture. Remember that when substituting cake flour for plain flour, one cup of plain flour equals one cup and 2 tablespoon of cake flour.
- You can add a layer of frosting to this Hazelnut Cake by melting your favorite chocolate – be it dark chocolate or milk chocolate – to make a ganache frosting.
- Sprinkle ground hazelnuts on top of the cake or any other kinds of ground nuts like cashew, almonds, etc.
- Make a chocolate hazelnut cake by adding melted chocolate, cocoa powder or chocolate chips to the batter.
- Berries can also be used to top your Hazelnut Cake. Nuts and Berries complement each other’s flavors very well.
- Top your cake with a sugar glaze by mixing 1-2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar with a few drops of water.
- Pour the cake batter into a 12 cup muffin tin to make hazelnut muffins, and don't forget to adjust the baking time accordingly.
- You can replace milk with sour cream or greek yogurt.
- Use hazelnut flour instead of grinding the whole hazelnuts into fine powder.
Serving Suggestions
This Hazelnut Cake can be served as a dessert or can be eaten as the perfect companion for your afternoon tea or mid-day coffee. It can also be eaten as a go-to snack.
Storage Instructions
Room Temperature: You can keep this Hazelnut Cake in a cake container at room temperature. It will last for about two to three days.
Fridge: Put the cake in an airtight container and put it in the fridge to make it last for 2 weeks.
Freeze: You can also freeze the cake by putting it in an airtight container and freezing it. This will make the cake last for a month.
Make ahead of time: If you’re running short of time, you can make this recipe ahead of time by mixing the dry ingredients, cover them with plastic wrap and chilling them in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, just them out of the fridge. Let the dry ingredients settle to room temperature and you can proceed with the next steps of the recipe.
Recipe FAQs
There are ingredients in this Hazelnut Cake recipe than can absorb moisture. A dry cake usually means that you have not measured the plain flour properly. Plain flour should be precise as what the ingredient dictates to get the best results.
Let your cake cool once it’s taken out of the oven. Taking it out of the pan too soon will not make your cake settle properly, so it will most definitely crumble.
The trick is to get a toothpick and stick it in the middle of the cake that you’re baking. If the toothpick comes out without too much of the batter sticking to it or if it comes out clean, then your cake is baked well and can be taken out of the oven.
To roast the hazelnuts, heat the oven and spread them on a baking tray and roast them in the oven at 220 C / 428 F for 10 minutes.
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Recipe
Hazelnut Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups whole hazelnuts , roasted
- 1 tablespoon orange zest , finely grated
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter , room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Roast the hazelnuts in a large skillet over medium heat.1 ½ cups whole hazelnuts
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 22 cm baking pan with parchment pepper.
- Place the flour, hazelnuts, orange zest, baking powder, and salt in the food processor and beat until the hazelnuts are finely ground.1 ½ cups whole hazelnuts, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 cups all purpose flour
- Now, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.¾ cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.2 eggs
- Now, add the flour mixture and the milk, and whisk until combined.¼ cup milk
- Scoop the batter into the baking pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15-20 minutes, then take it out of the tin and put it on a wire rack to completely cool.
Notes
- Make sure to follow the recipe. Make sure to bake in the baking pan size specified; this will help you avoid baking cakes that are too thick or too thin.
- Do not forget to preheat your oven. Perfect cakes need to bake at the right temperature, or they might not bake properly at all.
- Make sure to use fresh ingredients. Some cakes don’t taste as good because the ingredients used aren’t fresh. Make sure to use fresh baking powder, eggs, and milk, as these ingredients can alter the taste of your cake the most.
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- Baking cake at the center of the oven will make sure that your cake bakes evenly.
- Do not overbeat your cake; this will make it too dense. Beat only until the ingredients are properly incorporated.
- Let your cake cool before taking it out of the pan. Taking it out of the pan while it’s fresh out of the oven will make it brake/crumble.
- Make sure to line your baking pans with baking/parchment paper. This will make it easier for you to take the cake out of the pan when it’s cool without it breaking.
- On special occasions, you can make a 2-layer cake by doubling the recipe and whipping some heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then spread it between the 2 cakes and sprinkle some chopped hazelnuts on top or icing sugar. It is also suitable as a birthday cake
Variation
- Some people prefer the lighter and fluffier texture to their cakes. I recommend using plain flour for this recipe. However, you can also use cake flour to achieve the same fluffy texture. Remember that when substituting cake flour for plain flour, one cup of plain flour equals one cup and 2 tablespoon of cake flour.
- You can add a layer of frosting to this Hazelnut Cake by melting your favorite chocolate – be it dark chocolate or milk chocolate – to make a ganache frosting.
- Sprinkle ground hazelnuts on top of the cake or any other kinds of ground nuts like cashew, almonds, etc.
- Make a chocolate hazelnut cake by adding melted chocolate, cocoa powder or chocolate chips to the batter.
- Berries can also be used to top your Hazelnut Cake. Nuts and Berries complement each other’s flavors very well.
- Top your cake with a sugar glaze by mixing 1-2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar with a few drops of water.
- Pour the cake batter into a 12 cup muffin tin to make hazelnut muffins, and don't forget to adjust the baking time accordingly.
- You can replace milk with sour cream or greek yogurt.
- Use hazelnut flour instead of grinding the whole hazelnuts into fine powder.
Clara
This cake is very rich and super soft, I love it.
Layla
I used sour cream instead of milk, and the cake turned out beautiful.