Hazelnut Crunch Bundt Cake

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Photos and Recipe by Chef Jessica Hallam

This cake has become a staple in our home and it is perfect for any Valentine’s Day celebration. It’s a rich chocolate cake with a fudgy frosting and topped with crunchy hazelnut pieces. My boys like to eat this cake frosting first with a big glass of milk on the side. The sourdough discard adds so much moisture and richness to the cake, I promise that it doesn’t make it taste sour at all. If you don’t have sourdough discard you can omit it from the recipe.

Cake Ingredients
1 c. unsalted butter
1/2 c. Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 c. water
2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. sourdough discard 
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Frosting Ingredients
1/4 c. butter
3/4 c. dark chocolate, chopped
2/3 c. milk
2/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. hazelnut spread

Hazelnut Ingredients
1/2 c. chopped hazelnuts
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. brown sugar
Pinch of salt

Cake Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a large Bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl combine sugar and cocoa powder. In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt.
3. In a small saucepan combine water and butter. Bring to a boil.
4. Pour over sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth.
5. Next add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and sourdough discard (omit if you don’t have discard). Whisk until just combined.
6. Add flour mixture, mix until just combined. The batter will be lumpy.
7. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes. Until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan. Then flip onto a cake plate or cooling rack. 8. While the cake cooks make the hazelnut crunch.


Hazelnut Crunch Directions:
1. In a small pan combine the butter and brown sugar. Cooking over medium heat bring the butter mixture to a boil.
2. Add the chopped hazelnuts. Boil for 3-4 minutes stirring regularly.
3. Remove from heat and stir in salt.
4. Pour hazelnuts onto a parchment lined baking tray. Let cool, then break into pieces.

Frosting Instructions:
1. In a small saucepan melt the butter and chocolate over low heat. Stir in milk, powdered sugar and salt. Boil for 2 minutes until thickened.
2. Remove from heat, then add vanilla and hazelnut spread. Pour the frosting over the Bundt cake in a circle motion. Add to any extra spots that need it.
3. Let the frosting set for 5 minutes, then top with hazelnut crunch.


Recipe Notes:
1. I used Nutella Hazelnut spread.
2. You can omit the sourdough discard if needed, but I recommend using 1 2/3 c. flour instead of 1 3/4.
3. I like the Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder.
4. My boys prefer the cake with no hazelnut crunch. For them I top the cake with a sprinkle of flaked sea salt.