Decadent Nutella Chocolate Cake – a moist, rich chocolate cake layered and finished with a creamy, buttery Nutella frosting. This triple-layer cake makes an unforgettable birthday treat; top it with sprinkles for a festive touch.
Homemade Nutella Chocolate Cake Recipe
For my mother’s recent birthday I wanted to serve a special chocolate cake. I used my reliable chocolate cake base and paired it with a new Nutella frosting I found online. The frosting looked silky and glossy in the photos, and it felt perfect for a celebration.
How to Make Creamy Nutella Chocolate Frosting
The original frosting method I consulted suggested processing all frosting ingredients briefly until smooth and glossy. I tried a slightly different approach—whipping butter and sugar first—then added the remaining ingredients and used semi-sweet chocolate because I didn’t have dark chocolate on hand. The result was denser than expected rather than light and glossy. It was a useful reminder that small changes to technique or ingredients can affect texture. Despite my disappointment as a baker, the cake was a hit with guests: my mom loved it and several friends asked for the recipe.
Decadent Nutella Chocolate Cake
- Author: Vera Zecevic
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 min
- Yield: 10 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Decadent Nutella Chocolate Cake is a moist, richly chocolate layered cake finished with a creamy Nutella frosting. It’s an excellent choice for birthdays and other celebrations—simple to decorate and irresistibly chocolatey.
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1–3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1–1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1–1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
- For the Chocolate Nutella Frosting:
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup Nutella
- 11 oz semisweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round baking pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the boiling water until the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out nearly clean.
- Cool the cakes 10 minutes in the pans, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely. Cooling them upside down helps flatten any domes.
- To make the frosting, melt the semisweet chocolate and let it cool to room temperature.
- Beat the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate, Nutella, vanilla and a pinch of salt; mix until combined.
- Stir in the sour cream and mix until the frosting is smooth and evenly blended.
- To assemble, place a small dollop of frosting on the serving plate to anchor the cake. Place the first layer and spread about 1 1/2 cups of frosting over it. Repeat with the second and third layers, then cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles if desired. Store the finished cake in the refrigerator.