Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup very hot water

Filling:

1-1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup shortening

1-1/4 cup hazelnut spread (like Nutella)

5-1/2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tbsp milk

Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup hazelnut spread (like Nutella)

Chopped, toasted hazelnuts

Preparation

  1. Prepare 3 round cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom, and grease sides.
  2. Add dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
  3. Beat together eggs, buttermilk and vegetable oil and add to dry ingredients; mix until incorporated.
  4. Add hot water. Mix until incorporated. Then add vanilla.
  5. Pour into cakes pans; bake at 300 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool. For a more even cake, skim the top of the cooled cakes with a serrated knife.
  6. For the filling, whisk butter and shortening until smooth.
  7. Add hazelnut spread; mix until smooth.
  8. Slowly add powdered sugar; mix until smooth.
  9. Whisk in milk for a more smooth filling.
  10. Reserving some filling, layer cake as follows: cake, filling, cake, filling, cake.
  11. Use remaining filling to ice the sides of the cake. Put cake into refrigerator to chill.
  12. Place chocolate chips in a plastic bowl with heavy cream. Microwave, mixing well every 30 seconds, until melted. Add hazelnut spread. Mix well.
  13. Allow to cool for about 7 minutes, then pour over the cake slowly from the center allowing the ganache to drip over the sides.
  14. Add hazelnuts to sides and top of cake.
  15. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Enjoy!