
This thoroughly adult cake combines roasted hazelnuts with rich cocoa for a love letter disguised as a layer cake. My Taster says it’s the best cake I’ve ever made. You can make it too! This cake is based on my Chocolate Celebration Cake, but with hazelnut flour in the cake itself and NewTella hazelnut spread in the my Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. Adding the hazelnut flour amps up the flavor and sophistication of this cake. The NewTella in the frosting brings on the full swoon, but is optional. Make it as a sheet cake if you want to seduce (or at least delight) a crowd.

Prep Time | 35 minutes |
Cook Time | 35 minutes |
Passive Time | 40 minutes |
Servings |
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- 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour 300 grams
- 1/2 cup hazelnut flour 60 grams
- 1/2 cup natural cocoa 48 grams
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups brown sugar 440 grams
- 2/3 cup mild or fruity olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 recipe Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (recipe here)
- 2/3 cup NewTella (recipe here)
Ingredients
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- Heat oven to 350°F. For a round cake, grease two 9-inch cake pans, line greased pans with parchment paper, and grease the top side of the paper too. For a sheet cake, grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Whisk wheat flour, hazelnut flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in brown sugar, using the back of a spoon to break up lumps if needed.
- Pour remaining ingredients into flour mixture and stir just until well combined. Pour into pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until top is firm and tiny air bubbles appear in the center as well as on the edges.
- Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. Add 2/3 cup of NewTella and blend well.
- Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes to allow the cake’s structure to firm up. For a layer cake, turn out each layer onto a plate or your hand, peel off the parchment paper, and flip cake back onto the cooling rack. Let layers cool completely, then frost. When ready, slice and serve. (I'm ready now just writing this recipe!) Keeps covered for about four days at room temperature in cool weather or refrigerated in warm weather.
Skip the NewTella if you don't have time, a high-speed blender, or another dairy-free chocolate hazelnut spread on hand. Do make sure to use buttery spread instead of coconut spread in the frosting anyway.