This Ferrero Rocher Cake is your favorite chocolate hazelnut treat in cake form! Chocolate hazelnut cake layers and with a Nutella buttercream.
Can you believe it’s almost November?? I honestly can’t. These past few months (and this year in general) have gone by crazy fast, despite all the chaos and craziness. I can’t believe we’re almost in the holiday season.
Of course, I welcome the holiday season with open arms. I plan to start packing away all the pumpkins and breaking out the Christmas decorations in the next week or so. I am one of those people.
Today, I’m bringing you one of my favorite cakes based on one of my favorite treats!
I know you can technically get Ferrero’s year-round but to me, they are a holiday treat.
Maybe it’s because of the commercials they always bust out during the holiday season. And it’s kind of a tradition these days that my parents always get Ryan a box of Ferrero’s for Christmas. It’s really cute actually.
Despite my many Nutella recipes, I’m actually not a huge fan of Nutella on its own. I used to eat it straight out of the jar with a spoon when I was younger, so maybe I just got sick of it.
In a Ferrero though? Heaven.
How to Make this Ferrero Rocher Cake
I wanted to make sure all the elements of a true Ferrero shone through. This cake is packed with chocolate and hazelnut flavor. There is hazelnut flour in the cake itself (optional, but it adds flavor and texture) and I added a layer of crunchy hazelnut meringue to emulate that crunchy shell that Ferrero’s have.
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
To make the cake layers I replaced some of the flour in my favorite Chocolate Cake recipe with hazelnut flour.
This adds a delicious flavor and texture to the cake. You can either make hazelnut flour at home by grinding up some toasted, skinned hazelnuts, or you can buy it. I talk a bit more about that here in my Hazelnut Cake recipe.
If you don’t want to bother with either you can just replace the hazelnut flour with more all-purpose flour.
Hazelnut Meringue
I initially planned to use feuilletine flakes to add the crunch, but I opted for something a little more elaborate and went with the meringue instead.
The meringue will lose some of its crunch the longer it sits with the buttercream though, so you can choose to use the flakes instead if you have them on hand.
Next time though, I’d probably just chop up actual Ferrero’s and spread them between the cake layers instead.
Nutella Buttercream
The rich Nutella buttercream is something I would happily eat with a spoon. It is SO good. A fluffier version of Nutella that pairs really well with the dense chocolate cake.
I used an American Buttercream recipe because I wanted the frosting to be dark and look more like what you see in a Ferrero. If you’d like though, I have a Swiss meringue buttercream version on my Nutella Cake that you can use instead.
I may have gone a little heavy-handed on the frosting between the layers, but I told you it was good!! You can’t totally see the hazelnut meringue layer, but I swear it’s there! And it’s delicious.
The cake is fudgy and delicious. Paired with a smooth Nutella buttercream and crunchy chocolate hazelnut meringue, it’s really the best thing ever.
If you’re looking for something unique this holiday season, or really any time of year, this Ferrero Rocher Cake is sure to wow!
Oh, and if you want an equally delicious and stunning holiday cake based on a Ferrero brand confection, you have to check out my Raffaello Cake!
Notes & tips for this Ferrero Rocher Cake:
- The recipe as-is will also work in two 8″ pans. For three 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe. The layers will be slightly thinner though, so be sure to reduce the baking time.
- To make cupcakes, all you need to do is reduce the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so.
- The cooled cake layers can be baked ahead of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for up to 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours before assembly.
- The frosting can be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 1 week for frozen for 3 months. Bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
- If you don’t have hazelnut flour on hand and/or don’t want to make any, you can just substitute in additional all-purpose flour.
- To enhance the chocolate flavor of the cake, you can use strong hot coffee instead of hot water.
- The hazelnut meringue will soften the longer it sits in the cake. Ideally, serve the same day. Regardless though, it will still taste delicious! You can use chopped up Ferrero’s between the layers instead though.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, see my Flat Top Cakes post.
Ferrero Rocher Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup hazelnut flour*
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup hot water or hot coffee
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Nutella Buttercream:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup Nutella
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
Hazelnut Meringue (optional):
- 2 large egg whites
- 5 Tbsp granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- pinch cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (toasted skinned)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
Assembly:
- toasted hazelnuts to decorate chopped and whole
- Ferrero Rocher chocolates if desired
Instructions
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F, grease three 6″ round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.
- Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour hot water in slowly while whisking as not to cook the eggs).
- Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.
- Bake until a cake tester comes out mostly clean, a total of 30-35mins.
Nutella Buttercream:
- Prepare a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and whip butter until creamy (2 mins).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
- Reduce speed to low and add in powdered sugar mixture 1 cup at a time until well blended. Scrape down sides of bowl and whisk as needed. Add in Nutella and whip on high for approximately 5 mins.
Hazelnut Meringue:
- Preheat oven to 250F and line a 10×15″ pan with parchment. Trace two 5″ circles onto the parchment, flip over so the traced side is down.
- Combine egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer**. Beat on high until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar (1 Tbsp at a time) and beat until stiff peaks.
- Dab a bit of meringue under the corners of the parchment to secure it. Fold chopped hazelnuts and cocoa powder into the meringue. Pipe into discs using the 5″ circles as a guide. Pipe or spread remaining meringue in empty spaces on the parchment.
- Bake for 90mins and cool on pan.
Assembly:
- Place one layer of the cake onto a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 2/3 cup of buttercream and spread evenly.
- Place one meringue disc on top and top with additional buttercream if desired (or sprinkle with chopped Ferrero's. Repeat with remaining layers and crumb coat the cake. Chill for 20mins.
- Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream, smooth the sides and chill for 20mins. Press chopped hazelnuts into the sides and top with rosettes if desired.
Notes
Originally published on Nov 6, 2016
Vilija says
Hi! I want to make it for my mom birthday, can you store this cake for 2 days. Some cakes are even more tasty after few days.
Olivia says
Hi Vilija! Yes, you can keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days. After that it will start to dry out. Note that if you do the meringue layer it will lose its crunch over time.
Lida says
Would it work if I substituted all flour with hazelnut flour to make it gluten free? Sort of like classic hazelnut torte but also chocolate? I’m not an experienced baker but hoping to do that this weekend for someone’s birthday,. Maybe I’m too ambitious,
Olivia says
Hi Lida! No, I dont think so. You could try swapping the AP flour for a GF AP flour blend though.
Shabnam says
Hey Olivia,
Would it be ok if I use crushed up waffle cones instead of feuilletine flakes?
Thank you 🙂
Olivia says
Hi Shabnam! You could definitely do that but they will soften over time with the buttercream.
aolani says
Hi, Olivia! If i use all purpose flour instead of hazelnut flour will it’s taste totally different or just slightly? The same with the cocoa powder. I’m scared it won’t taste as good.
Olivia says
Hi Aolani! It will taste different but it will still be totally delicious 🙂
Nikki says
I stumbled onto this cake looking for my husband’s requested “chocolate and hazelnut” birthday cake. It’s a wonderful recipe. Cake came out beautiful and delicious. I subbed almond flour for hazelnut in the sponge (because i had it on hand). I also didn’t add the cocoa powder to the meringue and thought that the white meringue made a beautiful contrast to the chocolate layers.
Olivia says
Hi Nikki! So happy you loved it. Thanks for your tips 🙂
Jill Phillips says
I tried baking a little longer, did not open oven to check, measured perfectly, still got a divot in the middle of each cake, I’m using cake strips on the outside of the pans to insure even baking. I’m quite experienced, don’t know what to try next. I love this recipe but would love to have flat top cakes. Using Guittard baking cocoa, very high quality.
Olivia says
Hi Jill! I think it’s due to the hazelnut flour. I would try it next with 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup hazelnut flour to change the ratio a bit. Make sure your hazelnut flour is very fine too — powdery. I sift mine to get rid of any larger bits so it’s as close to flour as possible. You could also just leave the hazelnut flour out altogether and swap it with regular flour, but then it gets rid of the hazelnutty-ness in the cake. So it depends on if you particularly love that. That’s my standard chocolate cake recipe and it’s delicious too! https://livforcake.com/chocolate-dulce-de-leche-cake/ Let me know if you try it with less hazelnut flour 🙂
Dalia B. says
Beautiful cake.
Olivia says
Thank you Dalia!
Jill Phillips says
I have made this twice, we love the cake, both times my cakes seem to cave in the middle. What would cause this? With the meringue rings and frosting you can’t tell, I would prefer a flat top cake. What should I change?
Olivia says
Hi Jill! Are you at high elevation by chance? That can sometimes cause cakes to sink https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking. If it sinks in the oven it could be due to that (or opening the oven door before the cakes are set). If it sinks after you take it out then it may have needed a bit more time in the oven.
Jill Phillips says
Thank you, no not at a high elevation. Possibly needed a little more time to bake though. I’ll try that.
Olivia says
The hazelnut flour adds a bit more fat and moisture so its structure isn’t as great as just a plain chocolate cake — mine was quite dense and fudgy. You can always trip off the top to flatted it a bit and/or use the scraps to fill in the middle too 🙂
Andres says
How many grams of hazelnut flour to use?
Olivia says
Hi Andres! There is a metric converter below the list of ingredients.
Khaira says
Will be attempting this soon as a complete beginner! I was wondering, after I apply a thin layer of buttercream as a crumb coat and place the cake in the fridge, what do I do with the remaining buttercream for frosting? Do I keep this at room temp or put the bowl of buttercream in the fridge too?
Olivia says
Hi Khaira! Great question. Just keep it at room temp as it will get too firm in the fridge. You may want to rewhip it to fluff it up a bit before the final coat of frosting.
Khaira says
Thank you! Another dilemma, I can only put two cake tins in my oven at the same time, would it be fine to leave my third cake tin with batter at room temp too or should I refrigerate?
For both scenarios, how long can I leave the cake batter in this form? E.g. could I bake the cake the next day or in a couple of hours or asap (straight after my other cakes come out)
Khaira says
Also, would it be fine to put the cake on two different shelves in the oven? Or does it have to be on the same level and will the cake be affected if one is covering it?
Olivia says
Hi Khaira! For best results, you should bake the batter right away. If you must you can try to refrigerate the unused portion but I can’t guarantee the results. Bake as soon as possible. They should be fine on different shelves but you may need to rotate them if they are cooking at different speeds. Be sure the cakes are set first before moving them or they could collapse.
Laykin says
Literally my favorite chocolate put into a cake
Olivia says
So happy to hear that Laykin!
Liena says
Hello again!!!!
Another question, can I make SMB with nutella and cocoa powder??
Thanks!!!
Xx
Olivia says
For sure! I have a Nutella SMBC here: https://livforcake.com/nutella-cake/ You can add cocoa powder to it if you like 🙂
Liena says
Hello!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope that you had a great time…
I have to bake this delicious cake!! Can I use hazelnut paste instead of hazelnut flour????
Thank you so much!! And thank you for sharing all your amazing recipes!!
Liena
Olivia says
Hi Liena! Happy New Year to you as well!! I would not use the paste for the cake as it’s a different texture than the flour and I don’t think it will work well. You can use it to spread on top of the baked cake layers though for an extra hit of hazelnut!
Nicole says
Cake completely sunk in the center!! I’m not at high elevation and followed the recipe perfectly! Super disappointed as I was so excited to make this cake!
Olivia says
Hi Nicole! Sorry to hear this one didn’t work out for you. It seems like maybe it wasn’t fully cooked yet or something was off with the measurements.
Angie says
Just wondering what brand of Dutch process cocoa u are using. Ty
Olivia says
Hi Angie! I use Rodelle. I get it at Costco. But any brand should work!
Angie says
Thanks Olivia! Btw, if u said sifted flour/cocoa powder is it sift and measure or measure first then sift? Thanks again.
Olivia says
I measure first then sift 🙂
Desiree says
I’m sure this works great for those not in high elevation, but if you are like me, this cake sunk like the titanic 🙁 while in the oven. I know the person doesnt have to, but it would have been nice if the they had let you know whether or not this recipe can be made for high elevations or at least, if they know how to alter or change the ingredients for those with high elevations would have been great! But sadly, this cake sunk and so I will have to come up with more frosting or cut out the sunken parts of all three layers and throw something in the middle for my daughters birthday cake. But I do appreciate what I was able to get out of this. Merry Christmas everyone
Olivia says
Hi Desiree! I’m sorry to hear about the sinking cakes! Chocolate cakes are particularly tricky and temperamental at high elevations. Unfortunately, there is no one way to alter them as it depends on how high up you are. You will need to make some adjustments and it might take some experimentation on your part to figure out what works. I’ve never baked in high altitude, but here are some tips: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Depending on how badly the cakes sunk, you can trim them to level them or use some cake scraps to fill in the holes. With frosting, no one will notice! I hope you and your daughter love the cake anyhow. Merry Christmas to you as well!
Lili Yong Goh says
Hi I like to know how many days in advance can you make this cake and assembled it? Once it’s assembled do you need to store it in the fridge or just at room temperature?
Olivia says
Hi Lili! It will be fine for 2-3 days in the fridge or at room temperature.
Sonia says
Hi! Can this be made without a stand mixer? All I have is an electric hand whisk. Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Sonia! It should be ok with a hand mixer.
Sonia says
Thank you! I’ll be making this next week!
I accidentally bought 2 x 8 inch tins – will this recipe work with that?
Olivia says
Hi Sonia! Yes, but the layers would be a bit thinner. For best results, I would increase the Servings to 16 and use those amounts. Don’t fill the pans more than half full as the batter rises a lot. Make sure the pans are at least 2″ tall.
Sonia says
Thank you! I’ll be making my own hazelnut flour with my NutriBullet as I can’t seem to find any hazelnut flour where I am. Do you know how many grams of hazelnuts will be required to make the flour?
Olivia says
Hi Sonia! The metric converter tells me it’s about 84g. It was about 1 cup whole hazelnuts ground up.
Avneet says
Hi,
I noticed in your notes that you said that you can use this recipe for 2 8 inch pans. If I do that do I still use the recipe provided or do I change the measurements? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Avneet! This recipe, as-is, works for two 8″ pans. The layers will be slightly thinner though so you’ll need to reduce the baking time. If you want taller layers then 1.5x the recipe.
Sarah says
Hi! Love your recipes and make them frequently. I was just gifted 9 inch cake pans, how would I modify your recipes to accommodate that size?? Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Sarah! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Here are some sites I use as a guideline:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes_wiki/Cake_tin_conversion_charts
Based on that I would either 2.25x or 2.5x the recipe for three 9″ pans.
Farah Hanif says
I have a question can I use this buttercream recipe for a fondant cake?
Olivia says
Hi Farah! Yes, that should be fine.