Our Chocolate Hazelnut Cake is the showstopper you’ve been wanting for your holiday table. It’s such a simple cake, but it’s so pretty and absolutely delicious. Thinly sliced pears atop a moist chocolate cake, with ground hazelnuts in the batter and chopped hazelnuts garnishing. It’s soft and fudgy, and our tasters devoured it!
When we developed this recipe, our goal was a dessert that is simple to put together, but is a stunning centerpiece for your holiday tables. We think we nailed it!
Testing results for chocolate hazelnut cake
- We tested this recipe multiple times to get the texture just right—fudgy, not cakey; sweet, but not too sweet. If you love flourless chocolate tortes, you’ll adore this variation. The pears add such a beautiful decoration and soften into the batter during baking. Finished with a dusting of cocoa and a scattering of chopped hazelnuts for crunch, it’s perfection!
- We used blanched hazelnuts and pulsed them in a food processor until finely ground. Stop before it turns into a paste. You can also use store-bought hazelnut flour or hazelnut meal if available.
- Don’t overbake this cake. On our first test, we baked for 35 minutes, and the cake was too dry. Thirty minutes gave us the ideal texture. Start checking at 25 minutes, and look for set edges and a slightly jiggly centre. The cake firms as it cools, and becomes beautifully fudgy once chilled.
Serve this cake cold or room-temperature with a dollop of crème fraîche, whipped cream, or mascarpone. A drizzle of dark chocolate ganache or a scoop of vanilla ice cream also pairs beautifully.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Pears: When choosing pears, use firm but ripe varieties such as Bosc, Anjou, or Conference. They hold their shape during baking and slice beautifully. You can peel them, but we didn’t because the skin softens and adds a nice color contrast.
Hazelnuts: You can use blanched hazelnuts and grind them in a food processor, or purchase hazelnut meal or flour.
Bittersweet chocolate: The chocolate is a star in this recipe, so it’s important to use good-quality chocolate. We prefer Ghirardelli or Guittard.
How to make chocolate hazelnut cake
- Slice the pears thinly and set aside, then melt the chocolate.
- Stir together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Add the ground hazelnuts to the melted chocolate, then stir the chocolate hazelnut mixture into the eggs.
- Pour the batter into the pan and arrange the pear slices on top.
- Bake, then chill for a couple of hours. Garnish with cocoa powder and chopped hazelnuts.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 firm but ripe pears, halved and cored
- 6 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate (70%), chopped (we like Ghirardelli or Guittard)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 scant cup finely ground hazelnuts
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting
- ¼ cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
- Slice each pear half finely, crosswise, keeping the slices together in the shape of the pear. Set aside.2-3 firm but ripe pears, halved and cored
- Put the chopped chocolate and 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water (Bain Marie). Stir until melted and glossy. Set aside to cool slightly.6 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate (70%), chopped (we like Ghirardelli or Guittard)
- In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), whisk together 5 large eggs, at room temperature, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt for 5–7 minutes, until pale, thick, and airy.
- Stir 1 scant cup finely ground hazelnuts into the chocolate mixture. Then gently fold the chocolate into the egg mixture in large looping movements so that the mixture stays light and airy.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the fanned pear halves gently on top. Don’t worry about perfection, they’ll shift and settle as they bake.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center has a soft wobble. A toothpick inserted should have a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. The cake should look slightly puffed, but it will settle into a dense, fudgy finish as it cools. When you’re ready to release the cake, run a knife around the edge of the cake and unclip the pan.
- For the best results, refrigerate the cake for 1–2 hours before slicing. Dust with cocoa powder and scatter over chopped hazelnuts just before serving. 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting, 1/4 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped, for garnish
- Use an offset spatula to release the cake from the pan bottom and then gently peel off the parchment paper.
Notes
- To prevent browning if slicing pears ahead of time, squeeze over a little lemon juice.
Nutrition
Chocolate, pears, and more stunning desserts
I love making special desserts when having a dinner party or hosting Thanksgiving dinner. In addition to this Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, I like to serve my Clementine Cake. It’s so gorgeous with the bright, orange clementine slices gracing the top.
If you’re more into layer cakes, try our Southern Caramel Cake, a classic cake that’s moist and covered with homemade caramel frosting. This one is definitely not what I would consider easy, because that caramel frosting can be tricky, but it is so worth the effort.
Another showstopper is our Naked Cake with Flowers. This one can be adapted for different seasons and occasions just by changing out the flowers, frosting, and berries.
Questions and tips
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. The flavor improves after a day or two as the cake settles and the pear infuses the crumb.
You can freeze the whole chocolate hazelnut cake or individual slices. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the fridge or at room temperature. Best enjoyed within a day or two of thawing.
You can use apples for this cake if you prefer.
