Ferrero Rocher Cake

This Ferrero Rocher Cake consists of layers of chocolate cake, hazelnut-filled chocolate ganache and Nutella cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 30

Total Time 2 30

Servings12 slices

saltyginger.comMary-Lou

Equipment

Stand Mixer
Electric hand mixer
2 8 Inch Round (20cm) Cake Pan
piping bag and tip

Ingredients

250 grams plain flour (all-purpose, standard grade)
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
250 grams milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee (espresso powder)
3 eggs (medium/large/size 6)
300 grams white granulated sugar (caster/granulated)
125 grams butter (melted)
50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed)

Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting

227 grams cream cheese
113 grams butter
200 grams Nutella
350 grams icing sugar (powdered or confectioners sugar)
30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed)

Chocolate Ganache Filling

1 cup hazelnuts
185 grams cream (heavy/whipping)
185 grams chocolate (milk/dark or a mix)

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven the 170°C/340F. Grease and line 2 x 8" (20cm) round cake tins.
Toss the vanilla extract and granulated instant coffee or espresso powder into the milk. The coffee will dissolve into the milk, making it easier to mix in with the rest of the ingredients.
250 grams milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons instant coffee
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Melt the butter and allow it to cool while moving on to the next step.
250 grams plain flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon table salt
In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy and have doubled in volume. About 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer/stand mixer.
3 eggs, 300 grams white granulated sugar
Pour the melted butter slowly down the side of the bowl with the mixer running. Mix until well combined. Similarly, add in the milk and mix through.
125 grams butter
Sieve the cocoa powder over the egg mixture. Add in half the flour and whisk together until just combined. Add in the rest of the flour and mix until just combined.
50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
Pour the batter into the prepared baking tins. Smooth to the edges. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean from the centre of the cake. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to completely cool.

Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting

Allow the butter and cream cheese to come to room temperature.
113 grams butter, 227 grams cream cheese
Using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer cream the cream cheese and butter together until light, fluffy and well combined. This will take about 5 minutes.
Add in the Nutella and beat until well combined and smooth.
200 grams Nutella
Sieve in the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Mix on a low speed until combined then crank up the speed and beat for 3 to 5 minutes. If the mixture feels too stiff, add 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk and combine to a piping consistency. If the mixture feels too soft, add 2 to 5 tablespoons of icing sugar and combine to a piping consistency.
30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, 350 grams icing sugar

Roasting the Hazelnuts

Preheat the oven to 180°C/355F.
1 cup hazelnuts
Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast for 8 to 10 minutes.
Pour the hazelnuts into a clean tea towel and rub the hazelnuts together to loosen and remove the skins.
Remove the skins and roughly chop the hazelnuts. Set aside.

Making the Chocolate Ganache

Heat up the cream either over medium heat in a small saucepan or in a heatproof bowl in the microwave.
185 grams cream
Once the cream is hot and bubbling around the edges, toss in the blocks of chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes, then whisk the mixture together until the ganache is smooth and creamy.
185 grams chocolate
Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature. Stirring every 10-15 minutes to see how much the ganache has set. When the ganache is cool yet still pourable, stir through the hazelnuts.

Assemble the Cake

Once the cakes are completely cooled. Level off the cakes using a wired cake leveller or a serrated bread knife.
If making a 4-layer cake, cut each cake layer into two thinner cake layers. Set aside.
Divide the frosting into thirds. The final third will be used for the final layer of frosting (set this aside). Fill a piping bag with a large tip with a third of the frosting.
Place about a teaspoon of frosting in the middle of the plate. Place the first layer of cake in the centre.
Pipe a border of frosting around the bottom layer of the cake. And fill the inside with a third of the chocolate ganache.
Place the second layer of cake on top of the biscuits, and press down gently.
Repeat for the next two layers topping up the piping bag if needed. Place the last layer on top and press down gently.
Fill any gaps between the layers with any frosting left in the bag. Cover the sides and tops with frosting and smooth it out. Place the cake in the fridge and allow it to set.
Once the frosting has set, smooth over the last of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Swirling the top of the cake to give it rustic vibes.
Decorate the top of the cake with whole, and chopped Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Slice, serve and enjoy.

All temperatures stated are for conventional ovens. Decrease the temperature by 20°C/25°F or gas mark 1 for "fan" or air-fryers.

Video

Notes

This cake can be assembled as a two-layer or 4 layer cake. This decision is 100% up to you! If making a 2-layer cake, half the amount of ganache and roasted hazelnuts.

If weighing out the cake batter between the cake tins, each cake tin will take approximately 540 grams of cake batter.

Refer to the blog post for details on making a tray bake or cupcakes.

Nutrition