Mocha Hazelnut Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter two 20cm cake tins and line the bases, then dust well with flour and tap out the excess. Put the chocolate in a small bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until melted, then set aside to cool.
• Mix the espresso with 250ml boiling water, then leave to cool. Blitz the hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground.
• Combine the ground hazelnuts, sugar, flour, a good pinch of salt and the bicarb in a mixer. Mix the eggs, soured cream, vanilla, butter, hazelnut oil and the cooled espresso in a jug. With the mixer on a low speed, gradually add the egg mixture to the sugar mixture and combine until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and beat for 15 seconds.
• Divide the batter between the tins (it'll be quite thin at this stage) and bake for 35-40 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then run a knife around the edge and turn the cakes out onto a wire cooling rack. Leave to cool completely.
• For the buttercream filling, dissolve the espresso powder in 1 tbsp boiling water and leave to cool. Beat the butter and icing sugar in a mixer or by hand in a bowl, gradually adding the cooled coffee. Use a palette knife to spread the buttercream over the top of one sponge.
• To make the topping, gently heat the cream, espresso powder and sugar in a pan, stirring to help the sugar and coffee dissolve. Take off the heat and add the chocolate. Stir to melt until smooth and glossy, then leave to cool until thickened. Toast the whole hazelnuts in a dry frying pan, leave to cool, then chop very roughly (you'll want some halves in the mixture).
• Place the top layer of cake onto the bottom layer and cover with the glaze. Scatter the hazelnuts on top.

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool completely. Combine 1 cup each hazelnuts and sugar and the potato starch in a blender or food processor and pulse until very finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a bowl as a guide, draw three 7-inch circles on the parchment with a pencil (2 circles on 1 piece and 1 circle on the other); flip the parchment so the markings face down.
• Put the egg whites, 1/2 cup sugar and the salt in a large heatproof bowl. Set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm, 2 to 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff and shiny but not dry, about 2 minutes.
• Fold the milk and one-quarter of the egg white mixture into the nut mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth, then fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined. Divide the batter among the 3 circles on the parchment and spread evenly with an offset spatula to fill the circles. Bake 1 hour, 30 minutes, then switch the position of the pans and continue baking until firm, dry and golden, 1 to 2 more hours. (The layers are done when they easily peel off the parchment.) Let cool slightly on the baking sheets; peel off the parchment and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the ganache: Put 1 cup cream in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave until very hot, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the chocolate and espresso powder until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until cold, thick and spreadable, at least 30 minutes. Make the whipped cream: Combine the remaining 4 cups cream and 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until it barely holds soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes. Finish beating the cream by hand with a whisk until soft peaks form; do not overbeat.
• Put 2 meringue layers on a baking sheet; spread half of the ganache on each, to the edge. Refrigerate until set, 15 minutes. (If the ganache is too firm to spread, microwave in 20-second intervals to soften.) Place one of the ganache-topped meringues on a platter. Spread with 1 cup whipped cream. Stack the other ganache-topped meringue on top; spread with another layer of whipped cream. Top with the last meringue, then cover the top and side of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Chop the remaining 1/3 cup hazelnuts and sprinkle on top of the cake along with the shaved chocolate. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Combine hazelnuts and flour; fold into batter, 1/4 cup at a time. Spoon into two greased 9-in. round baking pans lined with waxed paper. , Bake at 300° for 25-30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks., In a small heavy saucepan, combine the ganache ingredients; cook and stir over low heat until chocolate and butter are melted. Remove from the heat. Set saucepan in ice; stir for 3-4 minutes or until thickened. Remove from ice and set aside. , For buttercream, combine sugar and water in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat. Add a small amount of hot mixture to egg yolks; return all to pan. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature. , In a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in cooked sugar mixture. Beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. If necessary, refrigerate until buttercream reaches spreading consistency., Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with half of ganache to within 1/4 in. of edges. Top with second cake layer and remaining ganache. Freeze for 5 minutes. Spread hazelnuts into sides of cake. Garnish with whole hazelnuts and chocolate leaves. Refrigerate.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee and sour cream, beating well after each addition. , Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in the chocolate, coffee and vanilla until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly oil two 9-inch cake pans with canola oil spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• To make the cake, using an electric mixer beat the 4 egg yolks, the 2 whole eggs, 6 tablespoons of the agave nectar, and the orange zest until creamy and pale in color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the hazelnuts until mixed evenly. In a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg whites at medium high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tables-poons agave nectar and beat until slightly stiffer peaks form, another 1 to 2 minutes. (Do not overmix.) Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the hazelnut mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers of the layers comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Invert onto a cooling rack and peel off the parchment paper. Let cool completely.
• Prepare the filling by blending the tofu in a food processor until smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter substitute and agave nectar. Blend again until incorporated. Heat the soy milk in the microwave for 5 seconds, add the coffee substitute, stir to dissolve, and pour into the food processor. Add the cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla extract and blend until all the ingredients are well combined.
• To assemble the cake, top the cake layer with the filling and spread evenly with an offset spatula or knife. Top with the second layer and glaze with the ganache frosting by spooning it over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it out with the spatula.

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes., Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix flour and coffee granules until blended., Add cream of tartar, extract and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until soft glossy peaks form. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time., Gently transfer to an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on lowest oven rack 30-40 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool cake in pan, about 1-1/2 hours. , Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. In a small bowl, whisk Nutella, confectioners' sugar and coffee until smooth. Drizzle over cake; sprinkle with hazelnuts. Serve with cherries.