Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Cake Recipe by Leah

Delicious!  This cake is delicious!  I wanted to make a dessert with Nutella but nothing very appealing was coming to mind.  I wanted a showstopper.  So, I turned to my trusty friend, Google.  Believe me when I say there are A LOT of Nutella desserts out there.  If you’re ever feeling the need to sit and drool at your screen just type Nutella desserts and lose yourself in the hazelnutty goodness.

My search eventually led me to Pioneer Woman and her Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Cake.  This cake was inspired.  I knew immediately it was what I was looking for.  Everyone that ate it agreed.     Be sure to check her website for the cake recipe and beautiful pictures.  The only thing I changed was to use my favorite chocolate layer cake recipe.

Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Cake

INGREDIENTS

cake

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups Nutella

strawberries

2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

whipped cream

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

PREPARATION

cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease two 9-inch round baking pans with butter and line the pan bottoms with parchment paper.  Grease and dust the pans.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and the hot water and stir until smooth.  Let cool to room temperature  Stir in the sour cream and vanilla.  Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachement, beat the butter on medium-high until smooth and shiny.  Add both sugars and beat until the mixture is fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each addition.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  With the mixer running on low, add a third of the flour mixture to the egg mixture, followed by a third of the cocoa mixture.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat the process twice.  Continue to beat on low until the batter is fully mixed, about 20 seconds more.
5. Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.
6. Transfer the cake pans to wire racks and let cool for 20 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges of each pan, invert the cakes onto wire racks and peel off the parchment.  Flip the cakes back over and let cool completely.

strawberries

Stir the strawberries with the sugar and the vanilla.  Let them macerate for 15 minutes, then drain off the excess juice.

whipped cream

Whip the cream with the powdered sugar.

assemble

1. Turn one cake layer upside down on a serving platter.  Spread half the Nutella all over the surface.  Spread on half the whipped cream and top with half the strawberries.

2. Place the other layer upside down on top and repeat with the rest of the Nutella, whipped cream, and strawberries.  Keep chilled until serving.  Cut with a serrated knife.