Hazelnut & Soured Cream Layer Cake with Hazelnut Buttercream

Today I decided on a rather decadent cake, if there is such a thing.  A sour cream cake, with some ground hazelnuts in it, in two layers and to be filled with a basic hazelnut buttercream.

So I needed to make two cakes and then the buttercream filling.  I also decided, at the last minute to put a thin layer of buttercream on the top and to sprinkle some chopped hazelnuts over it, just to finish it all off nicely.

The cake recipe is simplicity itself, all mixed by hand in no time at all.  The resultant cake is moist and very tasty indeed, with the flavour of hazelnuts coming through. It is very light, even though it doesn’t look so, soft and very easy to eat. Using just half the recipe you could make one cake and eat it just as it is, maybe with some cream or ice-cream, or fruit compote.  Like that it could be done and cooling, ready to eat, within an hour.  But for mine it took longer as I had to make the buttercream and then wait for the cakes to cool completely before layering them together.

I must say I am very pleased with the result, the whole thing tastes wonderful. I made a mess, dropping the slice I cut, but it was only for me so it didn’t matter a jot.

I heartily recommend this cake as one to try and enjoy.

Ingredients:
For the cake:

• 330g plain flour
• 60g ground hazelnuts( I took hazelnuts and ground them myself, this can be done in a coffee grinder or food processor)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 medium eggs(large in USA)
• 280ml melted unsalted butter
• 360ml soured cream
• 400g caster or granulated sugar

For the frosting:

1. 150g softened unsalted butter
2. 300g icing sugar
3. 200g Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread
4. 3 tbsp milk
5. 20g chopped hazelnuts to sprinkle over the top

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F.
2. Grease two 8 inch springform cake tins and line the bases with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground hazelnuts and whisk until all is mixed together.
4. In another bowl place the eggs and whisk them all together.
5. Add the melted butter, soured cream and vanilla extract and whish again until combined.
6. Add the sugar and whisk again until combined.
7. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the wet mixture into it.  
8. Use a spatula to mix until everything is nicely combined, a few little lumps wont matter.
9. Pour the batter in equal measures into the cake tins and spread to level off.
10. Bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cakes have come away from the sides of the tins and a skewer, when poked into the centres, comes out clean.
11. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning our onto wire racks to cool, removing the parchment paper from the bases.
12. As the cakes cool place the softened butter into a large bowl and whisk a little.
13. Add the powdered sugar, and milk and whisk to combine with the butter, starting very slowly to avoid the sugar going everywhere( I actually used a spatula at first to press the sugar into the butter).
14. Add the hazelnut spread and whisk to combine, then set aside until the cakes are cooled(i put mine in the fridge).
15. Place one cake on a large plate and cover the top with a thick layer of buttercream, spreading level with a spatula.
16. Place the second cake on top and press down slighlty.
17. Spread a thin layer of the remaining buttercream on the top and sprinkle over chopped hazelnuts if you wish, gently pressing them down to hold them in place.