Chocolate Cake with Nutella Buttercream

How to Make Chocolate Nutella Cake

• Preheat oven to 350 °F and center your oven rack.
• Prepare an 9 inch cake pan by placing a parchment circle in the bottom of your cake pan. Liberally spray it with non-stick cooking, and dust the interior of the cake pan with additional unsweetened cocoa powder. Discard any excess cocoa powder and set aside.
• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together the room temperature unsalted butter and granulated sugar until pale in color and fluffy (about 5 minutes at medium- high speed). Scrape down bowl with a spatula as needed.
• Add Nutella hazelnut spread and beat on medium speed until incorporated (about 2 minute).
• Add egg and beat on medium speed until incorporated (about 1 minute).
• On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk. Between each addition scrape down the bowl. It should go like this: dry ingredients, buttermilk, dry ingredients, buttermilk, dry ingredients, STOP and move onto next step.
• Pour chocolate Nutella cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Smooth it out into an even layer.
• Bake for 30-45 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with few crumbs.

  NOTE: Oven temperatures and times may vary. Begin checking your cake around the 30 minute mark and add 5 minutes as needed.

• Remove from the oven and immediately run a thin knife around the cake to detach it from the pan. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes inside the pan.
• • Carefully remove the cake from the cake pan and allow it to cool completely.

  How to Make Nutella Buttercream

  • On medium-high speed beat together room temperature unsalted butter for 2 to 3 minutes. It should be light in color and smooth.
  • Add Nutella hazelnut spread, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium speed until fully incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add unsweetened cocoa powder. Beat on low speed until incorporated, 1 minute.
  • Add half the powdered sugar, beat on low speed until it is fully absorbed within the frosting, about 1 minute.
  • Scrape down the bowl before adding the remaining powdered sugar. Beat on low speed until it is fully absorbed in the frosting, about 1 minute.
  • While the buttercream continues to whip together, slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream. Continue to beat on low until it has been incorporated.

    NOTE: If the frosting is too thick, add an additional ½ tablespoon of heavy whipping cream at a time until desired consistency.

  • Using a spatula, fold the Nutella buttercream by hand a few times to smooth it out even more.

  Decorating the One Layer Chocolate Nutella Cake

  • Place the completely cooled cake on a serving plate or cake plate.
  • Spread the Nutella Buttercream over the top of the cake until it is in an even layer.
  • Sprinkle the chopped toasted hazelnuts over the outer edge of the cake.
  • Cut into 10 equal pieces and serve.