CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT COFFEE CAKE
Everything you love about a traditional coffee cake, but with a fresh twist in the form of chocolate hazelnut.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour
In my opinion, coffee cake is one of the more underrated desserts. Perhaps it's my love of having an excuse to eat sweets for breakfast or the fact that they are low effort big reward, but coffee cake is one of my favorite desserts to make and enjoy.
Traditionally, it features warm flavors like brown sugar or cinnamon, but I thought why not put a twist on it? So, enter another of my favorite dessert for breakfast items: Nutella.
I decided to experiment a bit in the kitchen and added chocolate hazelnut spread and chopped hazelnuts to create a ribbon of flavor in this soft, dense cake. The final result is a dessert worthy enough for any brunch and perfect for these cold, winter months ahead of us.
YIELD: 9 LARGE OR 16 SMALL SQUARES
INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE:
1/2 cup (or 1 stick) room temperature unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup Nutella or any chocolate hazelnut spread
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
INGREDIENTS FOR CRUMBLE TOPPING:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 350° and grease and line an 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
Add your softened butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar to a large mixing bowl and use a hand mixer to combine (approx. 3 minutes) until it’s light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Next, add in the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda) and mix together with a spoon or spatula until the dry bits disappear.
Pour 3/4 of the batter to the 9x9 pan.
Microwave the 1/2 cup of chocolate hazelnut spread (about 30 seconds) so it’s a smoother, more pourable consistency, and pour on top of the batter. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts on top.
Pour and spread the rest of the batter on top of the chocolate hazelnut spread and chopped nuts.
Next, make the crumble. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and uses your hands to combine until you get about pea-sized butter crumbles.
Sprinkle the crumble on top of the batter until covered.
Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when poking the center. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before enjoying!