The hazelnut and chocolate cake without butter is truly a dessert with an intense hazelnut aroma enriched with chunks of dark chocolate.
When hazelnuts start their seasonal production, a great way to use them is to make this cake, delicious for breakfast or a snack.
The presence of nuts and dark chocolate, both excellent sources of vitamins and minerals, makes this cake ideal both for the breakfast of young people, who are about to face their challenging school days, and for anyone who wants a tasty and healthy breakfast treat.
When you toast the hazelnuts, you’ll notice they release all their aroma, and they will also be more digestible.
If you choose to cut the dark chocolate into chunks instead of adding the usual chips, you’ll enjoy finding delicious pieces.
This way, the chocolate, though softening during baking, will retain its texture and then unleash all its flavor when you bite into a piece of cake containing a piece of it.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 588.23 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 50.76 (g) of which sugars 28.19 (g)
- Proteins 11.16 (g)
- Fat 38.86 (g) of which saturated 6.49 (g)of which unsaturated 15.60 (g)
- Fibers 5.03 (g)
- Sodium 35.38 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 116 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups chopped hazelnuts (plus 1/4 cup for topping)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil
- 3 eggs (medium)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 packet vanillin
- 2 tbsp milk
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate (plus 1/3 cup for topping)
Tools
- 1 Cake Pan non-stick diameter 9.5 inches
- 1 mixer
Preparation
Start by toasting the hazelnuts in a non-stick pan until golden and they start to release their good aroma.
Put aside the 1/4 cup that will be used on top; they should only be coarsely chopped and not toasted.
Keep the flame moderate and turn them often to brown them evenly.
Remove the hazelnuts from the heat after about 7/8 minutes, let them cool on a plate, and remove as much skin as possible.
Then transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a mixer and grind them to obtain a grainy flour.
Next, on a cutting board, cut the dark chocolate into chunks.
Use a kitchen scale to weigh all the ingredients to start the actual preparation of the hazelnut and chocolate cake without butter.
Separate the egg yolks from the whites and beat the whites until stiff peaks form.
Beat the yolks with the sugar and vanillin.
Gradually incorporate the oil.
Add the egg whites to the yolk mixture, folding them in from bottom to top with a spatula, then slowly incorporate the flour.
Add small amounts of milk to reach the desired consistency.
Once you have a smooth batter, add the sifted baking powder and mix.
Finally, add the chopped hazelnuts and dark chocolate chunks and mix them into the batter.
Pour the batter into a greased and floured non-stick pan, or one lined with parchment paper, with a diameter of 9.5 inches.
Sprinkle the surface with very coarsely chopped (and not toasted) hazelnuts and chocolate chunks.
In a preheated static oven, bake at 356°F for 40 minutes, and test with a toothpick before taking it out.
Wait for the cake to cool before removing it from the pan, and if desired, dust the surface with powdered sugar.
The hazelnut and chocolate cake without butter is now ready to be enjoyed.
Storage
Keep well sealed at room temperature for about 4 days.
Keep well sealed at room temperature for about 4 days.
Here’s a selection of products very useful for making desserts. Many of these I have purchased and tested myself. To view recommended products click here.
Here’s a selection of products very useful for making desserts. Many of these I have purchased and tested myself. To view recommended products click here.
