Gluten-Free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

This Chocolate Hazelnut Cake is amazing and is a perfect weekend treat if you’re following a gluten-free existence or not. It is pretty much just chocolate and ground hazelnuts with just a touch of espresso to lift all that chocolate and nuts so it is luxurious and satisfying. If you don’t mind separating the eggs and whisking the whites to fold in at the end then it is a very simple batter to put together as well.

The key to the gorgeous texture of this flourless cake is to soak the sponge, whilst warm, with a chocolate syrup. It isn’t wholly necessary but does add another layer of chocolatiness and added succulence to the crumb. A third layer of chocolatiness is then spooned on top in the form of a glossy and decadent chocolate glaze. If you can resist not helping yourself to the majority chocolate glaze with a large dessert spoon before it’s put on the cake then more power to you.

Ingredients needed

Chocolate cake

• Dark chocolate. I like 70% dark chocolate.
• Eggs. This recipe uses medium sized egg.
• Vanilla extract. I like to use Neilsen Massey.
• Caster sugar. An ultra fine white baking sugar.
• Hazelnuts. Use roasted and skinned.
• Cocoa powder.
• Baking powder.
• Espresso powder. Brings out the flavour of the chocolate
• Whole milk.

Chocolate soaking syrup

• Soft light brown sugar.
• Cocoa powder.
• Vanilla extract. I like to use Neilsen Massey.
• Water.

Hazelnut praline

• Caster sugar.
• Sea salt.
• Hazelnuts. Use roasted and skinned.

Chocolate glaze

• Dark chocolate. I like 70% dark chocolate.
• Unsalted butter.
• Golden syrup. You can swap for maple syrup.
• Vanilla extract. I like to use Neilsen Massey.
• Sea salt.

How To Make Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

• Melt the chocolate.
• Whisk up the egg whites until stiff.
• Beat together egg yolks, sugar and vanilla extract.
• Pour the melted chocolate into the egg yolk and sugar mixture and combine.
• Add the ground hazelnuts, cocoa powder, baking powder and espresso powder and mix well. Stir in the whole milk to slacken the mixture.
• Fold in the egg whites.
• Pour into cake tin and bake for 50 minutes.

Chocolate Soaking Syrup

1. Melt together water and sugar in a small saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the cocoa powder and stir in the vanilla.
2. Poke holes in the surface of the cake and pour the syrup evenly over.

Allow cake to cool in the cake tin before removing.

Hazelnut Praline

1. Heat caster sugar in a medium sized saucepan, without stirring, until melted and turning a golden brown.
2. Add the sea salt then very quickly pour in the hazelnuts, turning into the melted sugar.
3. Pour out onto baking parchment to cool.

To get that pulled caramel look leave the praline for about 5 minutes until just cool enough to handle then pull the nuts apart so that the caramelised sugar is pulled into strands. Then roughly chop some of the hazelnuts.

Chocolate Glaze

1. Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and melt together.
2. Remove from the heat then pour over the cake, allowing some of the glaze to drip down the sides.
3. Sprinkle the whole nut praline and the chopped nuts onto the top of the cake. Leave for the glaze to set then serve.

How to serve this cake

This Flourless Hazelnut Cake is delicious on its own. However, if you want to serve it as a dessert then if you take a slice, warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave and drizzle some single cream over the top then it's incredible.

How to store

This Chocolate Hazelnut Cake stores well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

How to freeze

This cake freezes best before the chocolate glaze and hazelnut praline have been added. Allow to cool completely then wrap well in plastic wrap and aluminium foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature overnight. Add the chocolate glaze and hazelnut praline and serve.

More Flourless Chocolate Recipes You'll Love

This Flourless Chocolate Cake is an incredible recipe to have up your sleeve and I love to serve it when I have guests coming over as it’s easy to make ahead of time. It suits gluten-free dietary requirements as there is no flour at all and can easily be made with dairy or dairy-free ingredients. The rich intense chocolate flavour spiked with grassy extra virgin olive oil is irresistible and so indulgent when served with flaky sea salt, whipped cream and berries.

This Gluten-Free Chocolate Torte with Sweet Potato tastes so fudgey and intensely decadent that you won’t believe that it is dairy-free, flourless, refined sugar-free and made with sweet potatoes!

This rich and easy Chocolate Coconut & Pistachio Slice is packed with pistachios, coconut, and glacé cherries, with a smooth chocolate ganache topping. Perfect for picnics, afternoon tea, or a sweet snack — simple to bake and irresistibly delicious!