A few years ago I made a Torta Caprese, which is basically a one layer Italian Chocolate Almond Flour Cake sprinkled with a decorative confectioner’s sugar. Ever since then, I’ve wondered what would happen if I replaced the almond flour with hazelnut flour. Could I get that “nutella” taste? Would it be just as good?
How Delicious is Grain Free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake?
When I first made this cake, I made the all butter version and took it to my church connect group. This is a group of about 30 people that bring lots of delicious food around a theme every two weeks. This was Italian week, and because I’m the food blogger, the pressure is always on. I didn’t know if this nuanced one-layer cake would be popular or not. After a few minutes, I noticed it was gone and people were begging for the recipe. That let me know I needed to share this recipe with you.
Hazelnut flour is expensive and that deterred me for the longest time. I decided to make my own hazelnut flour which was easier than ever.
How Do I make Hazelnut Flour?
When making almond flour, I blanched the almonds, dried them really well and used the vitamix. In making this hazelnut flour, I didn’t blanch or fret over skins on the hazelnuts. I roasted them first to increase the hazelnut flavor. I then put them in the food processor which resulted in a hazelnut meal that was fine enough for this cake. It’s okay that it’s not as finely ground as the nut flours you can buy, as this only adds to the texture of the cake in a good way.
What kind of chocolate do I use for a chocolate hazelnut cake?
When baking cakes, I like to use a dark Belgium 72% chocolate I get at Trader Joe’s. You can use Lily’s sugar free chocolate for a lower carb count. I am not referring to this dessert as a keto dessert, because of the chocolate I prefer to use.
How does hazelnut flour compare to almond flour when baking?
I have baked a lot with almond flour and it seems they bake the same. Almond flour is slightly less expensive, so I wouldn’t choose hazelnut flour for baking unless I specifically wanted that hazelnut flavor as I do in this hazelnut chocolate torte.
Why did I not use baking powder in this chocolate hazelnut cake?
This is not a cake that needs to rise, as the beauty of it is its crumbly texture. However, I experimented with it replacing the butter with avocado oil, which will naturally result is a less dense cake that will rise higher than an all butter cake.
Are Hazelnuts Healthy?
Yes, They are rich source of Omega 3’s, high in magnesium, calcium and vitamins B and E. Hazelnuts aid in muscle, skin, bone, joint and digestive health. They have a high fat content, can go rancid and will stay fresh if refrigerated for up to six months.
How do I serve this Chocolate Hazelnut Cake?
I made a delicious butter cream sauce to pour over this cake. I did make it with almond extract, but I think a good vanilla extract would be equally good. That recipe is yet to be posted. We also love this cake with a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar ( I use Swerve) and some strawberries. I’m not sure why strawberries go so well with hazelnuts but they do!
Friends, I’m so honored you come here to enjoy my recipes. I take them very seriously and often make a dessert several times to get it to the point that I feel confident you can repeat it.
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- 5 eggs, separated
- 8 ounces melted chocolate
- 1 cup Swerve
- 1 cup of unsalted butter (see notes)
- 2 cups hazelnut flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 9 inch cake pan
- Kitchen Aid Mixeror Hand Mixer
- Parchment Rounds
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare one 9 inch pan with baking spray or butter.
- Separate Eggs. Make sure you do each egg in an individual bowl. Break egg into bowl. Lift out yolk. Save in separate bowl. Pour this egg white into the bowl you'll be mixing. Do this with each egg white just in case one of the yolks breaks.
- Beat until soft peaks form and the egg whites resemble marshmallow cream.
- In meantime, melt chocolate by placing stainless steel bowl over a saucepan that has two inches water at a simmer.
- Save egg whites for my lemon budino recipe.
- Once egg whites are mixed, transfer to a bowl. Clean mixer.
- Mix hazelnut flour, coconut flour, salt in mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and swerve (or sugar) in mixer until smooth.
- Add egg yolks and mix well.
- Mix hazelnut flour, coconut flour, salt in bowl.
- Add vanilla.
- Add melted chocolate.
- Add in dry ingredients.
- Fold in egg whites.
- Use an offset spatula to smooth out batter.
- Bake in center of oven for 30 minutes. Test cake with cake tester. It should come out clean.
- Cool completely before cutting.
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