Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

This gluten free Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cake recipe is made from scratch. It's topped with frosting made with Frangelico and coffee!

This Italian Hazelnut Cake has been one of my go-to dessert recipes for years. It's prepared with simple ingredients and contains just the right amount of sweetness.

You'd be hard pressed to find a flavor combination better than chocolate and hazelnut. Italians refer to this flavor combo as 'gianduja' and have created a myriad of desserts over the years that feature it.

I fell in love with these flavors years ago when I came across a recipe titled 'Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake' in The New York Times Dessert Cookbook after receiving the book as a Christmas gift.

I go back to this dessert again and again. It's overly sweet or sinfully indulgent - It's a simple cake made with a few quality ingredients. There are hazelnuts inside of and on top of the cake. The chocolate frosting is made with Frangelico hazelnut liqueur and a bit of coffee.

I tweaked the recipe ever so slightly and made it gluten free, but it's one of those recipes that doesn't need tweaking. This Hazelnut Cake is just that good.

Jump to:

• What Is Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
• Ingredients For Italian Hazelnut Cake
• How To Make Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
• How To Make Gluten Free Cake Moist
• How Long Does Hazelnut Cake Take To Bake?
• What Is Frangelico?
• How To Make The Chocolate Frosting
• What To Serve With Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
• How Long Does This Hazelnut Cake Last?
• Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

What Is Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Italian cakes differ slightly in taste and texture than many popular American desserts. They are typically not as sweet as American cakes and the texture is slightly more dense and crumbly.

This cake is not light and airy, but rather dense and moist in texture. The frosting is slightly sweet and complements, rather than overwhelms the cake itself.

I love desserts like this one, because I do not care for cakes that are loaded with overly sweet layers of frosting.

Ingredients For Italian Hazelnut Cake

Here's what you'll need to make it.

• 1 scant cup Gluten Free Flour Blend (equals 120 grams and can be weighed using a kitchen scale)
• ½ cup finely ground Hazelnuts (unsalted)
• 2 tsp. Baking Powder
• ¼ tsp. Kosher Salt
• 5 ½ Tbsp. Unsalted Butter (split)
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• ½ cup chopped Hazelnuts (unsalted)
• 2 oz. Semisweet Baking Chocolate
• 2 Tbsp. Brewed Coffee
• 1 Tbsp. Frangelico Liqueur

I altered this recipe to be gluten free (the original is not gluten free) and uses a gluten free flour blend such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Flour or Cup 4 Cup.

I recommend using a gluten free flour blend even if gluten is not an issue for you for the best results.

How To Make Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

This cake is down to earth, both in terms of flavor and technique.

The butter and sugar are creamed together with the eggs until the mixture is light and fluffy. Ground hazelnuts are added to the flour and then the flour mixture is folded into the wet ingredients just until combined.

The batter is poured into a greased and floured cake pan and baked in the oven.

1. The first step is to heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Generously grease an 8-inch round cake pan with butter and coat it with flour (you can also use a 9-inch round cake pan if that's what you have).
3. Place ½ cup unsalted hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse until the hazelnuts are ground (you can also place the hazelnuts in a plastic bag and pound them with a rolling pin if you do not have a food processor).
4. In a mixing bowl, combine 1 scant cup gluten free flour blend (this equals 120 grams and can be measured with a kitchen scale), ½ cup finely chopped hazelnuts, 2 tsp. baking powder, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt.
5. Mix all of these ingredients together.

How To Make Gluten Free Cake Moist

Gluten free cakes can easily dry out and there a few techniques I have learned to help ensure that the texture of the cake is moist.

It's important to measure the flour with a kitchen scale if possible. A kitchen scale is inexpensive and one of the best investments you can make when it comes to cooking and baking.

Gluten free flour blends absorb liquids more than AP flour. As a result, it's best to reduce the amount of gluten free flour to 120 grams instead of using a full cup, as the original recipe calls for.

A kitchen scale ensures that the measurement of the flour is accurate and the cake won't dry out.

It's also important to bake the cake just until set, so that it doesn't dry out and become overcooked.

1. In a separate bowl, cream 4 Tbsp. of room temperature unsalted butter and 1 cup of sugar using a hand mixer or the whisk attachment of a Kitchen Aid stand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Add 2 eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, mixing until the mixture is light and fluffy after each egg is added.
3. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture a little at a time. Add some of the flour, mix together, and repeat until it is completely combined. The batter is thick and dense.
4. Spread the batter evenly in the buttered and floured cake pan.
5. Bake for 35 minutes or until done. Remove from the oven and set aside until completely cooled.

How Long Does Hazelnut Cake Take To Bake?

Pop the pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Baking times may vary slightly.

The edges of the cake will become golden brown and slightly crusty after baking. The cake may rise and sink as it bakes in the oven, creating a 'cracked' surface. This is common when baking gluten free cakes.

Feel free to poke a toothpick into the center of the cake to test for doneness. The cake is fully baked when the toothpick comes out clean.

What Is Frangelico?

Frangelico is an Italian liqueur that is made with hazelnuts, coffee, cocoa, and vanilla distillate that is lightly sweet and full of hazelnut flavor. If you like the flavor of hazelnuts, you'll love Frangelico.

It can be enjoyed on its own or paired with soda and served as a cocktail. Frangelico is delicious added to coffee. It makes a great addition to any Italian dessert.

You can find Frangelico in most liquor stores. I love to buy a bottle and keep it in the cupboard to pull out any time I feel like making this cake.

How To Make The Chocolate Frosting

The frosting for this Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cake may be prepared while the cake is cooling. It's made with only a few ingredients and provides the cake with just the right amount of sweetness.

1. Brew one cup of coffee or espresso and allow to cool.
2. To make the frosting, heat a small amount of water in a double boiler (the water should be hot, but not boiling).
3. Place 2 oz. of semisweet baking chocolate in the boiler and allow to melt, stirring the chocolate with a spatula to prevent burning.
4. Add 1 ½ Tbsp. unsalted butter to the chocolate and stir until the butter has melted and incorporated into the chocolate.
5. Pour the chocolate mixture into a bowl and allow to cool.
6. Once the chocolate has cooled, beat the mixture with a hand mixer or the whisk attachment of a Kitchen Aid stand mixer until smooth. This may take a few minutes.
7. Add 2 Tbsp. of cooled coffee and 1 Tbsp. Frangelico liqueur to the mixture. Continue to beat with a mixer until it is spreadable.

What To Serve With Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

1. Once the cake is cooled, remove it from the pan and place it on cake stand or plate or serving platter.
2. Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake.
3. Sprinkle ½ cup of roughly chopped unsalted hazelnuts over the frosting.

I am generally not a fan of frosting on cake, but this frosting is so balanced that I recommend adding all of it. The coffee and Frangelico complement the flavor of the chocolate perfectly.

The chopped hazelnuts over the top add an earthy flavor and great crunchy texture.

I love a cake like this served with coffee or espresso.

It can also be enjoyed by sipping on a bit of Frangelico or Italian liqueur of choice.

Chocolate desserts are perfect paired with red wine or dessert wine.

Love Italian desserts? Don't miss these recipes!

• Pistachio Panna Cotta
• Strawberry Honey Panna Cotta
• Bailey's Whiskey Affogato

Love chocolate? Check out these recipes!

• Halloween Puppy Chow
• Reese's Pieces Chocolate Cookies
• Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake Bites
• Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

How Long Does This Hazelnut Cake Last?

This hazelnut cake should last 2 days stored in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Transfer the cake to an airtight container in the fridge if storing for more than 2 days.

Be sure to allow it to cool completely before transferring to a container for storage.

It may dry out slightly the longer it sits.

Can This Cake Be Frozen?

I do not recommend freezing this Italian Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, as it is best enjoyed within a few days. Freezing this cake would likely dry it out.

Love cake? Check out these recipes!

• Buttermilk Rhubarb Cake
• Scandinavian Almond Cake
• Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Coffee Cake
• Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake

Want More Hazelnut Recipes? Don't Miss These!

Chocolate Nut Tart

Chocolate Hazelnut Pizza