Ferrero Rocher Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (285 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (95 g) natural cocoa powder
- 2 tsp (12 g) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp (160 g) canola oil
- 2 1/4 cups (450 g) sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (575 g) buttermilk
Hazelnut Ganache
- 8 oz (225 g) milk chocolate, approx 33% chopped
- 2/3 cup (155 g) heavy cream
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/3 cup (200 g) toasted hazelnuts finely chopped
Chocolate Swiss Buttercream
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 3 large egg whites room temperature
- 9 oz (255 g) unsalted butter room temperature, cut into 1-in pieces
- 3 1/2 oz (100 g) dark chocolate, approx 66% melted and cooled
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp Frangelico
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8" round x3" high cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.
- Combine oil and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating to combine after each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine.
- Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk in five additions, starting and ending with the flour. Beat after each addition just to combine.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for about 40-50 minutes, rotating halfway. The cakes should be set and a skewer inserted in the center should come out with a few crumbs on it.
- Let cool on wire racks for about 30 minutes, then unmold from the pans and let finish cooling while you make the ganache.
For the ganache:
- Place milk chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.
- Combine cream, corn syrup, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat on the stove.
- Pour the hot cream mixture over the milk chocolate and stir gently until the chocolate is fully melted and mixture is smooth.
- Stir in 1 cup (150 g) of the chopped hazelnuts.
- Pour mixture into a clean container, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in refrigerator for about 2 hours to let it firm up. In the meantime, make the buttercream.
For the chocolate buttercream:
- Combine the sugar and egg whites in a medium metal bowl and place over a pan of simmering water.
- Whisk the sugar mixture constantly over heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks smooth and shiny.
- Continue whisking until the mixture reaches 160 degrees F.
- Remove mixture from heat and pour into a stand mixer bowl. Whisk on medium speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture has cooled and meringue is at stiff peaks.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and with the speed on low, add the butter a few pieces at a time, beating until smooth. Do not add the butter too quickly or beat too quickly or the buttercream may break.
- When all the butter has been added, beat the buttercream on medium-high speed for about 6-10 minutes until it is very thick and smooth. It may appear to separate briefly but continue beating and it should come back together.
- Add in the melted chocolate and beat to combine.
- Add in the vanilla extract and Frangelico (if desired) and beat to combine.
To assemble the cake:
- Level off cake layers if necessary. Place one cake layer on a cake board or cake decorating stand.
- Remove ganache from the refrigerator and stir to loosen it up if it has become completely firm. Spread some of the ganache over the cake layer evenly.
- Place a second cake layer on top. Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the cake top and sides to act as crumb coat. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes to let the frosting set.
- Finish frosting the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup hazelnuts over the top.