Nutella Chocolate Cake

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Made with 3 layers of moist chocolate cake, Nutella buttercream, and chocolate Nutella ganache, this Nutella Chocolate Cake recipe is a Nutella-lover’s dream. Rich, decadent and easy to make, this cake is a sure hit!

Why You’ll Love This Nutella Chocolate Cake Recipe

• ALL the Nutella & chocolate flavor. This cake is super rich with both chocolate and Nutella. There’s over a cup of Nutella in the recipe, between the buttercream and the ganache, and the cakes themselves are a delightfully rich chocolate.
• Ultra moist. I used a few tricks in this recipe to make super moist cakes – they’re baked at 300F (yes, 300, not 350!), made with oil and milk, and use hot water for even more moisture. The end result is one of the moistest chocolate cakes ever.
• Beautiful presentation. With 3 layers of cake, smooth Nutella buttercream on the outside, chocolate ganache drizzled over the top, and alternating swirls of buttercream and Ferrero Rocher candies, this Nutella chocolate cake is a true stunner. (But requires no special decorating skills!)

Recipe Ingredients

Beyond Nutella and cocoa powder, the ingredients used to make this cake should already in your cupboard. Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.

Cake

• All purpose flour – Be sure to measure it correctly to avoid dry or dense cake. Cake flour would also work.
• Sugar
• Natural cocoa powder – For this recipe, you want natural unsweetened cocoa powder. Most popular brands of cocoa powder are natural cocoa powder, like Hershey and Ghiradelli, so it’s likely what you have on hand. You can use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a richer chocolate flavor. Just keep in mind the layers don’t rise quite as much, so it’ll be a little more dense.
• Baking soda – For the perfect rise and tender texture. This cake uses only baking soda, no baking powder.
• Salt – Without it, your cake will be bland.
• Eggs – Be sure to use large size eggs, not medium or extra large.
• Milk – I use 2% milk, but whole milk and buttermilk also work in this cake.
• Vegetable oil – Helps to keep the cake extra moist.
• Vanilla
• Water – Hot water is added to the batter just before baking. It helps ensure a lighter, more moist cake but also helps to “bloom” the cocoa flavor, creating a richer and more intense chocolate flavor.

Nutella Buttercream

• Unsalted butter – The butter needs to be at room temperature, not melted or straight from the fridge, to achieve the proper texture.
• Nutella
• Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar gives the buttercream volume and affects the consistency. I tend to use a good bit because I like a thicker buttercream that I know will stay in place and pipes well. Feel free to reduce it, if you aren’t concerned about that. You can also just reduce the overall amount of buttercream, if you tend to just add a thin layer of frosting to your cakes.
• Heavy cream – To add creaminess to the buttercream. Only add as much as needed to get the right consistency for your buttercream.

Nutella Ganache

• Nutella – Nutella in the ganache adds even more of that sweet chocolate hazelnut flavor to the cake.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Be sure to use semi-sweet chocolate. Another type of chocolate will make your ganache a different consistency that may not work as well.
• Heavy whipping cream – Be sure not to use milk or another alternative.
• Ferrero Rocher candies – These add the final decorative touch to the cake, though you could omit them if you want.

How To Make Nutella Chocolate Cake

The mixing method for this cake is as easy as it gets! Plus, assembling and decorating is easier than you may think! Scroll down to the recipe card below for the detailed printable instructions.

Make the Cakes

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line each of the cake pans with circles of parchment paper. Grease the sides.
• Make the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Add the hot water and gently mix until all ingredients are combined.

• Bake. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake for 30-33 minutes.
• Cool. Allow the cakes to cool for a few minutes in the pan, then remove from the pans to cool on a cooling rack.

Make the Buttercream

• Beat the butter. Beat the butter and Nutella until smooth and combined.
• Add the other ingredients. Mix in half of the powdered sugar until smooth then add in 3 tablespoons of the heavy cream. Add in the remaining powdered sugar, mixing until smooth, and additional heavy cream as needed.

Assemble the Cake

• Level the cakes. Use a serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of each cake so that they’re completely flat. You can check out my tips on how to level a cake.
• Layer the cakes. Place the first cake on a serving plate. Spread a cup of buttercream on top. Add the second cake and another layer of buttercream. Top with the remaining cake. Frost the outside of the cake.

• Make the ganache. Add the Nutella, chocolate chips, and heavy whipping cream to a medium bowl. Heat in 15-20 second increments, stirring well, until the mixture is smooth.
• Add the ganache to the cake. Drizzle the ganache around the edge of the cake then spread evenly across the top. (This method is similar to my chocolate drip cake.)
• Decorate the cake. Once the ganache firms up a bit, pipe the remaining buttercream around the edge of the cake. I alternated swirls of buttercream with the Ferrero Rocher candies and used Ateco tip 844.

Tips For Success

• Measure the flour correctly. Use the spoon and level method or a food scale to measure your flour carefully. Over-measuring flour for this cake can make it dry. Check out this tutorial on How to Measure Flour Correctly to learn more.
• Use HOT water. The hot water helps bring out the full chocolate flavor of the cocoa powder. Cold or lukewarm water won’t have the same effect. You can heat it in the microwave until it just starts to boil and it will be the perfect temperature.
• Distribute the batter evenly. You can use a kitchen scale if you want to make sure you’re using exactly 1/3 of the batter or simply eyeball it. Just try to keep it as close to even as possible so the cake layers bake evenly.
• Only add as much heavy cream as needed. You may not need to use all of the heavy cream, only add additional heavy cream if needed. You can see my guide on the right consistency of frosting for tips.
• Cool completely. Allow the cakes to cool completely before stacking and frosting them. Otherwise, the frosting will melt and slide right off.
• Make it pretty. Want to frost your cake like a pro? Have a look at my tutorial for frosting a smooth cake to learn how to frost the prettiest cake possible.

Proper Storage

• Counter/refrigerator. Store the Nutella chocolate cake in an air-tight container. It should be fine at room temperature for up to 24 hours, then should be refrigerated. Serve at room temperature or only slightly cool, not cold. The cake is best if eaten within 4-5 days.
• Freezer. Pop the cake in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up before wrapping it in a double layer of plastic wrap. You can also arrange the slices in a single layer in an airtight container. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the cake to thaw in the fridge before diving in.

More Nutella Desserts

• Nutella Cheesecake
• Nutella Cupcakes
• Nutella Cheesecake Chocolate Cookie Cups
• No Bake Nutella Cheesecake
• Nutella Fudge Brownies
• Caramel Macchiato Tiramisu Trifle with Nutella

Watch How To Make It

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Enjoy!