Hazelnut cake recipes are not all created equal. There are different ways to make them and many variations on the recipe. For example, there are hazelnut cakes with carrots, and then there are recipes with zabaglione and those who make it using only hazelnuts from the Langhe area, a delicacy from Piedmont with the IGP trademark since 1996. But what about the recipe for the ultimate hazelnut cake? Look no further!
How to make it
To make our very favorite hazelnut cake recipe, first whip 5 oz softened butter with 5 oz powdered sugar, a handful of vanilla seeds and a pinch of lemon zest. Don’t forget the Maraschino liqueur, either: just under a small glass is more than enough!
Chop 5 oz hazelnuts with about fifty grams of granulated sugar. The result will be a grainy mixture you will whisk together with four eggs and a pinch of salt. Add the eggs to the butter mixture to combine.
Add 4 oz flour, 2 oz starch and a teaspoon of baking powder; butter a baking mold with a height of at least 2 inches. Pour the mixture into the buttered pan and bake in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for twenty minutes. Then bake for another twenty minutes at 325°F (160°C).
Finally, let the cake rest in the oven for another ten minutes with the heat turned off. Remove from the oven and let cool.
The final touch
To make your hazelnut cake extra-special, however, you have to add a finishing touch. Using 2 oz granulated sugar with a glass of water, make a caramel sauce. Add at least ten grams of shelled hazelnuts to the two ingredients just mentioned, turning them into a caramel (enough to cover the hazelnuts).
Let the hazelnuts dry for a while until they harden, and then place them on the cake. Before serving, sprinkle some powdered sugar over the cake to make a good impression with guests. A cake meant for a sweet moment of relaxation in good company.
