rich, moist, soft, and oh so delicious
"Nobody is perfect"-true.
"No chocolate cake is perfect"-false.
Ingredients:
For the batter:
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cup sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp espresso powder
1 cup milk (any variety)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste, or extract
1 cup boiling water
For the Hazelnut filling:
2 cups roasted hazelnuts, peeled
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
For the frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1.5 cups bittersweet chocolate, melted, room temperature
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
2.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla bean paste, or extract
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare 3 6-inch baking pans with parchment paper and butter.
Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. After whisking together dry ingredients, mix in oil, milk, espresso powder, egg, and vanilla.
Add in boiled water while whisking vigorously.
Pour into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly.
While baking, prepare the filling. In a food processor, combine the hazelnuts, white sugar, and vanilla. Blend together until a thick paste forms. Add in 2 tablespoons of cream and continue blending until the mixture is smooth. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the remaining cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in the hazelnut mixture and powdered sugar, and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
While cakes cool, prepare the frosting by creaming together the butter and chocolate. Beat in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Continue whipping until smooth and thick.
Fill, frost, and decorate cake to taste. I used candied hazelnuts, chocolate ganache, and crushed roasted hazelnuts.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!
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