Dark Chocolate Cake with Nutella Frosting

I bought a jar of Nutella at the grocery store with a specific cake recipe in mind and I knew that I had a limited amount of time to get the cake made before my kids discovered the chocolatey spread and started to eat it.  They both love Nutella and I don't buy it very often so when it's in the pantry - it gets eaten - QUICK. 

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the spread on toast but I do like to bake with it.  The banana nutella muffins that I made last Spring are still among my all time favorite muffins. 

When I found a recipe for a dark chocolate cake, layered in creamy Nutella frosting on Sweetopolita.com, I knew that it would be a hit.

This cake will satisfy even the biggest chocolate cravings.

 

There are days when I think I could eat this entire cake in one sitting.

Dark Chocolate Nutella Cake

For the Cake:
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups superfine sugar
• 1 1/4 cup dark Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cup brewed coffee or espresso
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
• 4 1/2 cups (565 grams) confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (340 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (280 grams) Nutella (or other hazelnut spread)
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) full-fat sour cream
• 11 ounces (330 grams) best-quality dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare three 7-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray and parchment rounds.
In bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, sift all dry ingredients, including sugar.

Combine eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla in a measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork.

 
Add milk mixture to the dry ingredients mix for 1 minute on medium speed (you may need the plastic splash-guard that comes with mixer).

 
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.

Bake 30 minutes and rotate pans in oven.

Cool on wire racks for 20 minutes.

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor, and pulse until smooth and glossy, about 1 minute. The frosting will be very soft. Refrigerate the frosting until it thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.

Put a dollop of frosting on a 10-inch round cake board (or cake plate) or 8-inch scalloped cake board.
Put your first layer top-up on the cake board or plate, and spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly across layer.

Put the second cake layer on top and repeat with another layer of frosting.

Put the final cake layer top-down. Refrigerate the cake for about 30 minutes.

Apply a coat of frosting to the cake. Holding a tall pastry comb in your dominant hand, press it gently against the side of the cake and keep it steady. Use the other hand to slowly rotate the turntable until you have gone all the way around the cake. Gently press some chocolate sprinkles into the top of the cake. 
Fit a medium pastry bag with a medium-large closed star tip, such as 1M, and fill about 2/3 full with frosting. Pipe a border around the top of the cake. Chill the cake until the frosting border firms up, at least 30 minutes.

You're welcome.

Ciao!