This Nutella Torte is the ultimate chocolate hazelnut cake that is packed full of rich flavors. Combining indulgent chocolate and hazelnut into a moist fudgy flourless chocolate cake topped with smooth rich Nutella ganache.
We love serving this for dessert and it is perfect for family gatherings, a gluten free Christmas dessert, or a dessert that can be made ahead of time.
Delicious served on its own or with smooth chantilly cream, or a scoop of your favorite ice cream.
If you love fudgy chocolate desserts you will also love this chocolate pear cake, gluten free brown butter brownies, and gluten free brookies.
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⭐ Why we love this recipe
- Nutella - What more can I say? Nutella is loved by both Kids and adults. It provides a deliciously rich and creamy hazelnut and chocolate flavor that is hard to resist.
- Irresistible Crumb - Every bite offers a melt-in-your-mouth experience, similar to a rich brownie.
- Sophisticated Yet Simple - Strikes the perfect balance between being a sophisticated dessert and a comfort food. Its so simple to make.
- Suitable for Dietary Restrictions - Being flourless, this cake is perfect for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
Recipe Development
We love Nutella and love it even more when we use it in our home baking. It's one of my daughter's favorite treats, so it's safe to say we always have it readily available in my house!
This flourless Nutella cake is a regular bake as it is naturally gluten free which really makes it more of a torte than a cake as a torte uses little to no flour.
This recipe has been adapted from my chocolate pear cake which uses ground almonds. When testing the recipe I used ground hazelnuts instead of ground almonds to make it a Chocolate hazelnut cake and then tested various measurements of the Nutella spread till it was just right.
📋 Ingredients Notes
- Butter - Use unsalted good quality butter.
- Nutella Chocolate Spread - Nutella spread is the star of the show and this recipe uses it in the cake and the ganache so it's packed full of that delicious Nutella flavor.
- Hazelnuts - I used whole hazelnuts and used a blender to ground them down as ground hazelnuts are really hard to find in my local stores. Also, see my variations below if you want to use toasted hazelnuts. I love using toasted hazelnuts but also make this Nutella cake without toasting them when I don't want the extra step. I have included both options and you can decide for yourself if you want toasted or untoasted hazelnuts.
- Eggs - Use large eggs at room temperature. be careful when separating them as you don't want any of the egg yolk to get into the egg white as this can result in the egg whites not whipping up well.
- Sugar - I used superfine sugar (Caster or baker's sugar).
- Heavy Cream - Also known as double cream or heavy whipping cream will also work well. Be sure to use over 30% fat heavy cream as anything lower in fat will not firm up and set well. I haven't tested this ganache with dairy-free cream.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients & measurements.
⚡ Substitutions & Variations
- Toasted Hazelnuts - Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C). Roast them for approx 10 minutes stirring occasionally until lovely and fragrant. Remove from the oven, remove the skins, and allow to fully cool before blending as blending while warm they will release oil and turn into hazelnut butter. I love using toasted hazelnuts when I have a little more time.
- Dairy Free - Use your preferred dairy-free butter block and dairy free chocolate spread. Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar or use your preferred dairy free frosting.
- Almond Flour - If you are having a hard time getting a hold of hazelnuts you can use almond flour/ground almonds it will alter the flavor as it won't have the stronger hazelnut flavor but will still work well.
🥣 Step by Step Instructions
Below is a brief step-by-step process with photos of how to make Nutella Torte recipe.
See the recipe card below for more detailed recipe instructions.
Step 1: Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180℃/350℉/Gas mark 4.
Place hazelnuts with the skins removed into a blender and blend in short bursts scraping down the sides of the blender until the hazelnuts resemble small crumbs. (See image 1).
Step 2: Melt the butter in the microwave on short 30-second bursts until melted. Add the Nutella and vanilla extract then mix well until fully combined.
Allow to cool slightly and In a large bowl whisk in the cocoa powder, salt, and ground hazelnuts until fully combined.
Use two bowls to separate the egg yolk from the egg whites, ensuring that no yolk mixes with the whites. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until thick. Next, gently fold the egg yolk and sugar mixture into the chocolate mixture.
Tip: Be careful not to let any egg yolk mix with the egg whites, as even a small amount can prevent the egg whites from whipping up to soft peaks.
Step 3: In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks (See image 3).
Step 4: Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate batter until there are no streaks and it is smooth.
Tip: Gently fold in the egg whites to keep the cake batter light and airy. I prefer to start by folding in a few scoops of egg whites, then gradually add the rest. This method makes it easier to incorporate the egg whites smoothly.
Step 5: Pour and spread the Nutella cake mixture evenly into the lined baking pan and bake for approx 40-45 minutes.
Step 6: Check the cake by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the center. If it comes out slightly moist with some crumbs on it, the cake is ready. It should not be wet.
Leave the Nutella torte in the cake pan on a wire rack to fully cool. Once fully cooled place in the fridge for 2 hours.
Tip: Chilling the cooled cake in the refrigerator helps it set properly, resulting in a beautiful, dense, fudgy texture.
Step 7: In a bowl warm the heavy cream in the microwave on short bursts until warm. Once warm add the Nutella spread and stir gently until fully incorporated. Set aside to cool for approx 15 minutes before pouring over the top of the cooled cake.
Step 8: Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over the top of the ganache to decorate if desired.
Tip: The Nutella torte can be sliced and eaten after the ganache has been poured over the cake which will result in a gooey chocolate frosting or placed in the fridge for 2 hours for the ganache to set for a firmer cleaner slice of cake.
💡 Pro Recipe Tips
- Tip #1: Use good quality ingredients as this will really impact the taste of the finished cake.
- Tip #2: Line the bottom and sides of the cake pan for easier removal. Using a springform pan is preferable, as it simplifies the process of removing the flourless Nutella cake from the cake pan.
- Tip #3: Be careful not to let any egg yolk mix with the egg whites, as even a small amount can prevent the egg whites from whipping up to soft peaks.
- Tip #4: Gently fold in the egg whites to keep the cake batter light and airy. I prefer to start by folding in a few scoops of egg whites, then gradually add the rest. This method makes it easier to incorporate the egg whites smoothly.
- Tip #5: Chilling the cooled cake in the refrigerator helps it set properly, resulting in a beautiful, dense, fudgy texture.
- Tip #6: The Nutella torte can be sliced and eaten after the ganache has been poured over the cake which will result in a gooey chocolate frosting or placed in the fridge for 2 hours for the ganache to set for a firmer cleaner slice of cake.
❔ Recipe FAQs
The Nutella torte can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes, I usually make this flourless Nutella cake at least one day ahead of time.
This chocolate hazelnut cake is easily made dairy free by using dairy free butter block and dairy free chocolate spread. I have not tested dairy free chocolate ganache but you can dust it with powdered sugar, cocoa powder or add your preferred dairy free frosting.
More gluten free Nutella recipes
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📖 Recipe
Nutella Torte
Nutritional information is meant as a guideline and all information is approximate.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Flourless Nutella Torte
- 110 grams Unsalted Butter
- 300 grams Nutella Chocolate Spread
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoons Cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 110 grams Hazelnuts (Extra optional for decoration) Ground in a blender
- 4 Large Eggs (Separated) Room temperature
- 100 grams Sugar
Ingredients for Nutella Ganache
- 100 ML Heavy Cream AKA Double cream
- 200 grams Nutella Chocolate Spread
- Chopped hazelnuts (Optional to decorate)
Instructions
How to make flourless Nutella cake
- Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180℃/350℉/Gas mark 4.
- Place hazelnuts with the skins removed into a blender and blend in short bursts scraping down the sides of the blender until the hazelnuts resemble small crumbs. (See image 1).
- Melt the butter in the microwave on short 30-second bursts until melted. Add the Nutella and vanilla extract then mix well until fully combined.
- Allow to cool slightly and In a large bowl whisk in the cocoa powder, salt, and ground hazelnuts until fully combined.
- Use two bowls to separate the egg yolk from the egg whites, ensuring that no yolk mixes with the whites.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until thick. Next, gently fold the egg yolk and sugar mixture into the chocolate mixture.
- In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks (See image 3).
- Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate batter until there are no streaks and it is smooth.
- Pour and spread the Nutella cake mixture evenly into the lined baking pan and bake for approx 40-45 minutes.
- Check the cake by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the center. If it comes out slightly moist with some crumbs on it, the cake is ready. It should not be wet.
- Leave the Nutella torte in the cake pan on a wire rack to fully cool. Once fully cooled place in the fridge for 2 hours.
How to make Nutella Ganache
- In a bowl warm the heavy cream in the microwave on short bursts until warm. Once warm add the Nutella spread and stir gently until fully incorporated. Set aside to cool for approx 15 minutes before pouring over the top of the cooled cake.
- Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over the top of the ganache to decorate if desired.
- The Nutella torte can be sliced and eaten after the ganache has been poured over the cake which will result in a gooey chocolate frosting or place in the fridge for 2 hours for the ganache to set for a firmer cleaner slice of cake.
Notes
-
- Tip #1: Use good quality ingredients as this will really impact the taste of the finished cake.
-
- Tip #2: Line the bottom and sides of the cake pan for easier removal. Using a springform pan is preferable, as it simplifies the process of removing the flourless Nutella cake from the cake pan.
-
- Tip #3: Be careful not to let any egg yolk mix with the egg whites, as even a small amount can prevent the egg whites from whipping up to soft peaks.
-
- Tip #4: Gently fold in the egg whites to keep the cake batter light and airy. I prefer to start by folding in a few scoops of egg whites, then gradually add the rest. This method makes it easier to incorporate the egg whites smoothly.
-
- Tip #5: Chilling the cooled cake in the refrigerator helps it set properly, resulting in a beautiful, dense, fudgy texture.
-
- Tip #6: The Nutella torte can be sliced and eaten after the ganache has been poured over the cake which will result in a gooey chocolate frosting or placed in the fridge for 2 hours for the ganache to set for a firmer cleaner slice of cake.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is meant as a guideline and is always an approximate calculation. Recipes may include information of various products used. It is your responsibility to check that ingredients you use when making a recipe are gluten free.
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