The hazelnut and chocolate cake without butter is truly a dessert with an intense hazelnut aroma enriched by 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 dried fruits 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 demanding school days, and for anyone who wants a good and healthy dessert for breakfast.
By toasting the hazelnuts you will notice that they release all their aroma; they will also be more digestible.
If you cut the dark chocolate into chunks instead of adding the classic chips, you will delight in finding these delicious pieces.
In this way, the chocolate, although softening in cooking, will retain its texture, to then release all its flavor when you bite into a piece of cake that contains a chunk.
- 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 2⁄3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 2⁄3 cups chopped hazelnuts (plus 1/4 cup for the topping)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil
- 3 eggs (medium)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 packet vanillin
- 2 tbsp milk
- 3 1⁄2 oz dark chocolate (plus 1 3⁄4 oz for the topping)
Tools
- 1 Cake Pan non-stick diam. 9.5 in
- 1 Mixer
Preparation
Start by toasting the hazelnuts in a non-stick pan until they are golden brown and start to release their good smell.
Keep aside the 1/4 cup to be used as topping; they should be coarsely chopped but 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 the skins that can be removed.
Then transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a mixer and grind them to obtain a grainy flour.
Then, on a cutting board, cut the dark chocolate into chunks.
Weigh all the ingredients with a kitchen scale to start the actual preparation of the hazelnut and chocolate cake without butter.
Separate the egg yolks from the whites and whip the latter until stiff.
Beat the egg yolks with sugar and vanillin.
Gradually incorporate the oil.
Combine the egg whites first with the yolk mixture, mixing from bottom to top with a spatula, and then incorporate the flour little by little.
Add small amounts of milk to achieve the desired consistency.
Once a homogeneous dough is obtained, add the sifted baking powder and stir.
Finally, add the chopped hazelnuts and dark chocolate chunks and work them into the dough.
Pour the dough into a greased and floured non-stick baking pan, or lined with parchment paper, with a diameter of 9.5 inches.
Sprinkle the surface with coarsely chopped (and not toasted) hazelnuts and chocolate chunks.
In a preheated static oven, bake at 356°F for 40 minutes, before removing do the toothpick test.
Wait for the cake to cool before removing it from the mold and if desired, sprinkle the surface with powdered sugar.
The hazelnut and chocolate cake without butter is ready to be enjoyed.
Storage
Well sealed at room temperature for about 4 days.
Well sealed at room temperature for about 4 days.
Here is a selection of very useful products for making desserts. Many of these I have bought and tested myself. To view the recommended products click here.
Here is a selection of very useful products for making desserts. Many of these I have bought and tested myself. To view the recommended products click here.
