Quick Chocolate Nut Cake (Schokonusskuchen)

This chocolate nut cake is another classic of German baking. Deliciously nutty, this cake is a variation of the traditional German Hazelnut Cake. The difference is that this cake has a winning ingredient in the batter: chocolate. Who can resist a chocolate hazelnut cake?

I got this recipe from my sister's boyfriend's Oma Marie. Oma Marie lives in Neuengronau, a little village in Hessia. With a population of 342, it is a quaint little place where traditions are still handed down. [Source: Wikipedia Neuengronau]

What is German Hazelnut Chocolate Cake?

This cake is, essentially, made from a sponge cake batter and really is nothing more than a chocolate cake with hazelnut in the batter. The cake is popular as it is quite moist but super quick and easy to make.

Why try this Chocolate Nut Cake?

• It is super quick to prepare and so especially suited for inexperienced bakers.
• Deliciously moist, due to its high-fat content it keeps fresh well.
• Does not need too many ingredients
• Easy to adapt to suit various tastes
• Can be used with a variety of cake moulds- loaf form, bundt form, muffins

How to make this Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Ingredients:

• eggs (separated, medium size, at room temperature)
• butter
• sugar
• milk
• ground hazelnuts (affiliate link)
• semi-dark baking chocolate
• flour: German type 405, UK plain flour, USA pastry flour or cake flour
• baking powder (affiliate link)

Recipe Steps

1. Wipe a glass or metal bowl with some white vinegar or lemon juice and then place the egg whites in it.

2. Add a pinch of salt and then using a hand or stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Set aside in the fridge until needed.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the butter, sugar, egg yolks and milk until creamy.

4. Prepare a water bath and melt the semi-dark chocolate. (To make a water bath: place a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Chop up the chocolate into small pieces and place it in the bowl. Stir occasionally to avoid bubbles forming. When the chocolate has almost melted, carefully remove the bowl from the heat and place it on a towel. Stir until all the chocolate is melted and ready to use. )

5. Add the flour, baking powder (affiliate link) and nuts and pour in the melted chocolate. Mix to a smooth cake batter.
6. Finally, add in the stiff egg whites. Carefully mix until combined. You do not want to mix too long otherwise the egg whites will deflate and the cake might not end up as airy.
7. Prepare a cake form or a bundt cake form by greasing it with butter and dusting with flour.
8. Pour or spread the cake batter in the form and place it in the oven.
9. Bake for approximately 50 minutes. Test the cake by piercing it with a skewer. If the skewer comes out clean the cake is ready.
10. Leave to cool.

Decoration Options

There are several ways you can decorate this nutty chocolate cake.

• simply dust with some icing/confectioners sugar
• pour over a semi-dark chocolate glaze and then decorate with crushed whole hazelnut (as in the pictures) or caramelised nut brittle.
• Place berries such as strawberries or raspberries on top, as a colourful eyecatcher.
• You can also use other nutty chocolate bars to create a showstopper piece such as Ferrero Roche balls or other nutty pralines.

How to achieve a moist and fluffy chocolate hazelnut cake?

• The main reason the cake can turn out too dry is if you baked it for too long. That is why it is better to test early on with the skewer than too late.
• Keep all your ingredients at the same temperature.
• Do not skip any steps of the recipe. Dry and dense cakes often happen when a shortcut is taken in one of the recipe steps - for example separating the egg eggs and whisking the egg whites until stiff - all the steps are designed to make the consistency of the cake as good as possible.

Storage Instructions

A chocolate cake with hazelnuts that does not use fresh fruit can be kept without problems for up to 4 days. Because of its high-fat content, it will stay nice and moist.

If you want to keep your chocolate nut cake for longer, you can freeze it without any problems for up to 6 months. Just wrap it airtight in cling film, or use a freezer bag.

More German Cakes with Nuts

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