Day 24 with Nutella

I have a dear friend who loves to bake! I mean she really loves to bake! She bakes almost every night and she comes up with the most beautiful creations. So last week I gave her a jar of Nutella and asked her to come up with some ideas…I mean I do have a long way to go (341 days to be exact), so I probably will need some help. Here is her creation:

Nutella Carmel Cake

CAKE

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter at room temperature

11⁄3 cups sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons hot water

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup buttermilk



GLAZE
1 cup of Nutella

FILLING
Carmel Topping ( like Smucker's ice cream topping)



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 9” cake pans. Line bottom with parchment paper, set aside.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add hot water to the coffee powder (in a little cup or bowl), mix and add to butter mixture. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Slowly add in dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Divide batter between the two pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center. Watch carefully; over baking will make the cake dry.

Let the cake cool. Put one layer on a plate and spoon caramel topping. Then add the second layer. Put Nutella on the top layer. You will need to heat the Nutella up just a bit so it’s easy to spread (20 seconds in the microwave) you can then do a spider design like in the picture. It is super duper easy. Just pipe a spiral of caramel topping from the center to the edges and drag a toothpick out from the center at six points. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts around the edges and you have a yummy cake that’s gorgeous!