This Nutella cake is pure indulgence — soft chocolate layers filled and frosted with creamy Nutella buttercream. Perfect for birthdays or any celebration, it’s a rich, moist, and irresistible treat for every Nutella lover.
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This Nutella cake recipe is made for every Nutella lover — a rich, chocolate hazelnut dessert that tastes just as good as my Nutella cupcakes.
This decadent Nutella layer cake combines four delicious elements: moist chocolate cake layers, creamy Nutella mascarpone frosting, smooth Nutella buttercream, and a glossy chocolate drip.
It’s the perfect Nutella birthday cake — indulgent yet simple to make, and guaranteed to please both kids and adults.
Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients for Nutella Cake
Here’s what you need to make this rich Nutella chocolate cake:
- Chocolate Cake: Made from my soft buttermilk chocolate cake prepared with cocoa powder and buttermilk for a moist texture. (See recipe notes for easy substitutions.)
- Mascarpone Nutella Frosting: A creamy blend of mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, Nutella, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract — light and perfectly pipeable.
- Nutella Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Made with egg whites, sugar, unsalted butter, Nutella, cocoa powder, and a touch of vanilla for a silky finish.
>> Need info on my materials? Read this post: Best 10 cake decorating tools for beginners.
How to Make Nutella Cake
Mix and sift together all the dry ingredients — flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract using a hand or electric mixer until smooth.
Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk and coffee, until you get a smooth and pourable chocolate cake batter.
Divide the batter between two prepared cake pans lined with parchment paper, and bake in a preheated oven at 165°C (330°F) for about 45 minutes, until the centers are set.
Let the cakes cool in their pans for a few minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack. Once cooled, trim the tops and slice each cake into four even layers using a cake leveler.
Place the cold mascarpone, cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, Nutella, vanilla extract, and unsweetened cocoa powder in a medium bowl.
Beat on low speed with an electric mixer for about 1–2 minutes, until the mixture turns into a thick and creamy Nutella frosting.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and chill it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the Nutella cake.
In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar over a pot of simmering water until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture reaches 131°F (55°C).
Transfer to a stand mixer and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and the meringue cools down. Add the softened butter, one piece at a time, then mix in the Nutella until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
Layer the chocolate cakes with Nutella mascarpone frosting and a swirl of Nutella. Frost the cake with Nutella buttercream, smooth it, then chill.
Finish with a chocolate glaze, buttercream swirls, and chopped hazelnuts on top.
>> You may also like: How to frost a cake easily
Tips for this recipe
Variations & Substitutions
Recipe Questions
Can I make this Nutella cake ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake the cake layers 1–2 days in advance. Wrap them well and store them in the fridge, then assemble the cake on the day of serving.
Can I use homemade Nutella?
Yes! A homemade chocolate hazelnut spread works perfectly and gives a more natural flavor.
Why is my frosting too soft?
If your Nutella buttercream feels runny, chill it for 15–20 minutes, then re-whip until smooth and stable.
How can I make the Nutella flavor stronger?
Add a spoonful of Nutella between each cake layer or mix extra cocoa powder into the frosting.
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More Nutella Recipes
I hope you love this Nutella cake recipe. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!
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Nutella Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices
Description
Indulgent Nutella Layer Cake recipe featuring a moist chocolate sponge filled with Nutella whipped cream and Nutella Swiss buttercream (For a 6-inch cake - serves about 8-10 slices).
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 225 g (1 ¾ cups) Cake Flour
- 80 g (¾ cup) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) Vegetable Oil
- 340 g (1 ¾ cups) Granulated Sugar
- 3 large Eggs - at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) Buttermilk
- 125 ml (½ cup) Coffee/Water - warm
Nutella Mascarpone Frosting
1 batch of my Nutella mascarpone frosting
Nutella Swiss buttercream
1 batch of my Nutella Swiss Buttercream
Chocolate drip
- 80 g (2.8 oz or ½ cup) semi-sweet dark chocolate
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) heavy cream
Instructions
Chocolate Cake Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 330°F (165°C) and grease and line the bottom of two 6-inch (15 cm) round cake pans.
- In a bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, mix together the buttermilk with the warm coffee (or water).
- In the bowl of your stand mixer or in a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients mixture and the milk and coffee mixture into the oil and sugar mixture, mixing until you have a smooth and liquid cake batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 2 pans and bake in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes until they are well cooked in the center. (Check the doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cakes; it should come out clean.)
- Let cool slightly in the pans before removing the cakes and allowing them to cool completely top side down on a cake rack.
- Once completely cooled, slice them into 2 layers using a cake leveler to obtain 4 layers of sponge cake.
Nutella Buttercream Frosting
Follow the full Nutella Swiss buttercream recipe and keep it at room temperature until assembling.
Nutella Mascarpone Frosting
Follow the Nutella mascarpone frosting recipe and refrigerate until assembling.
Layer Cake Assembly:
- Prepare a cake turntable stand and place a cake board, then place the first layer of sponge cake.
- Pipe a border of buttercream around the edge of the cake layer, then fill the center with the mascarpone cream, drizzle some Nutella, and cover with the second chocolate sponge cake.
- Repeat the last step until the final layer of sponge cake.
- First, cover the entire cake with a thin layer of buttercream and refrigerate for 20 minutes to lock in the crumbs.
- Cover again with a thicker layer of buttercream and smooth with a cake smoother, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Prepare the chocolate ganache drip by heating the chocolate and cream in the microwave in 15-second intervals until you have a runny ganache that's not too hot (ideal temperature 95°F or 35°C).
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the cake and let it drip down the sides.
- Decorate the top of the layer cake with the remaining buttercream using a 1M piping tip, sprinkle with hazelnuts, and let the cake rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
- Take the cake out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before slicing to soften the cream.
Notes
Storage: Store your Nutella cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving so the frosting softens. You can also freeze the unfrosted cake layers for up to 3 months, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Tips :
- Use a digital scale: Measure ingredients in grams for precision and perfect texture.
- Room temperature ingredients: Bring eggs, milk, and butter to room temperature before mixing.
- Buttermilk substitute: Replace buttermilk with milk mixed with a teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.
- Smooth layers: Trim the cake tops for even stacking and a clean finish.
- Perfect frosting texture: If too soft, chill for 10 minutes before spreading.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Cuisine: American
Clarisse
This cake is delicious! The Nutella hazelnut flavor really comes through. Thank you for the recipe, and your blog is gorgeous. Excited to try more of your recipes!