Chocolate Nutella Cake Recipe
A simple, moist chocolate nutella cake that comes together in one bowl with no mixer required—this is the kind of recipe I turn to when I want something deeply chocolate-y without the fuss of fancy technique or frosting.
Meta description: This easy chocolate Nutella cake is rich, moist, and made in one bowl with no mixer. Perfect for chocolate lovers who want a simple, fuss-free dessert.
I’ve been making this chocolate nutella cake for years, and it’s become my go-to whenever I need something comforting and crowd-pleasing without spending hours in the kitchen. The Nutella gives it an incredible fudgy texture and subtle hazelnut flavor that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.
Table of Contents
Quick Answer: What Makes This Chocolate Nutella Cake Special?
This is a one-bowl wonder that combines the rich chocolate flavor you crave with the creamy, hazelnut-laced sweetness of Nutella. You don’t need a stand mixer, complicated techniques, or even frosting—the cake is moist and flavorful enough to stand on its own. It bakes up in about 40 minutes and stays tender for days.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s something really satisfying about a cake that doesn’t require you to cream butter, separate eggs, or pull out any special equipment. This chocolate nutella cake is forgiving, beginner-friendly, and honestly tastes like you put way more effort into it than you actually did.
The texture is somewhere between a classic chocolate cake and a brownie—dense but still tender, with a slightly fudgy crumb that holds together beautifully. The hazelnuts on top add a gentle crunch that contrasts perfectly with the soft cake underneath.
I also love that this recipe uses hot coffee to bloom the cocoa powder, which deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee at all. If you’re not a coffee drinker, hot water works just fine, but the coffee really does make a difference.
And because it’s baked in an 8×8-inch pan, it’s the perfect size for a small gathering or a family dessert that won’t leave you with half a sheet cake sitting around for a week. Though honestly, this disappears pretty fast in my house.
Chocolate Nutella Cake
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ¾ cup 150g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup 160g Nutella
- ¾ cup 180 ml neutral oil, like canola or vegetable
- ½ cup 120 ml whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 140g all-purpose flour
- ½ cup 50g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup 60 ml hot coffee or water
- ¼ cup 40g milk chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate
- ¼ cup 25g hazelnuts, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease an 8×8-inch pan.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs and sugar for about 1 minute until well combined. Add Nutella, oil, milk, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk until well combined and smooth. Stir in the coffee or water, then fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan. Scatter the chopped hazelnuts over the top. Bake cake for 35-45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cake can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe calls for mostly pantry staples, with Nutella being the star ingredient that sets it apart from a standard chocolate cake. Here’s what you’ll need and why each ingredient matters.
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Granulated sugar | 3/4 cup (150g) | Sweetens the cake and helps keep it moist |
| Large egg | 1 | Room temperature works best for even mixing |
| Nutella | 1/2 cup (160g) | Adds richness, moisture, and hazelnut flavor |
| Neutral oil | 3/4 cup (180 ml) | Canola or vegetable oil keeps the cake tender |
| Whole milk | 1/2 cup (120 ml) | Adds moisture and helps create a smooth batter |
| Pure vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon | Enhances the chocolate and hazelnut flavors |
| Salt | 1/4 teaspoon | Balances sweetness and deepens flavor |
| All-purpose flour | 1 cup (140g) | Provides structure without making the cake heavy |
| Unsweetened cocoa powder | 1/2 cup (50g) | Dutch-process or natural both work well |
| Baking powder | 1 teaspoon | Helps the cake rise and stay fluffy |
| Baking soda | 1/2 teaspoon | Works with the cocoa to create a tender crumb |
| Hot coffee or water | 1/4 cup (60 ml) | Blooms the cocoa for deeper chocolate flavor |
| Milk chocolate chips | 1/4 cup (40g) | Adds pockets of melty chocolate throughout |
| Hazelnuts, finely chopped | 1/4 cup (25g) | Provides crunch and complements the Nutella |
The oil might seem like a lot, but it’s what keeps this cake incredibly moist even after a few days. Unlike butter, oil doesn’t solidify when chilled, so the texture stays soft straight from the fridge.
Nutella is the heart of this recipe. It adds fat, sugar, cocoa, and that signature hazelnut flavor all in one go. If your Nutella has been sitting in the pantry for a while and seems a bit stiff, you can microwave it for about 15 seconds to make it easier to incorporate into the batter.
For a richer result, you could even try my simple Italian chocolate olive oil cake recipe if you want to explore more oil-based chocolate cakes with European flair.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This chocolate nutella cake comes together quickly with just a whisk and a rubber spatula. No stand mixer, no fuss—just straightforward mixing and baking.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with butter or non-stick spray, and line the bottom with parchment paper if you want to be extra safe about the cake releasing cleanly. I usually just grease mine well and it works fine.
- Whisk the egg and sugar together. In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg and granulated sugar. Whisk vigorously for about a minute until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened. This step helps dissolve the sugar and gives the cake a better texture.
- Add the wet ingredients. Add the Nutella, oil, milk, vanilla extract, and salt to the bowl. Whisk everything together until the mixture is completely smooth and the Nutella is fully incorporated. The batter will look glossy and unified—no streaks of Nutella should remain.
- Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda directly to the wet ingredients. Whisk until the batter is smooth and no pockets of flour remain. Don’t overmix, but make sure everything is well combined. The batter will be quite thick at this point.
- Stir in the hot liquid. Add the hot coffee or water and stir gently with a whisk or rubber spatula. The batter will thin out considerably and become pourable. This is exactly what you want—the hot liquid activates the cocoa and creates a smoother, more velvety texture.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the milk chocolate chips into the batter. Try to distribute them evenly so every slice gets some melty chocolate pockets.
- Transfer the batter to the pan. Scrape the batter into your prepared 8×8-inch pan and spread it evenly with the spatula. Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Top with hazelnuts. Scatter the finely chopped hazelnuts evenly over the top of the batter. They’ll toast as the cake bakes and add a wonderful nutty crunch to the finished cake.
- Bake until set. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Start checking around the 35-minute mark. The cake is done when a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The top should look set and slightly cracked.
- Cool completely. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack. This cake actually tastes better after it’s had time to cool and set up, so resist the urge to dig in right away. Once it’s completely cool, you can slice it into squares and serve.
The smell while this chocolate nutella cake is baking is absolutely intoxicating—rich chocolate with a hint of roasted hazelnut. Your kitchen will smell like a European bakery.
Expert Tips for the Best Results
After making this cake more times than I can count, I’ve picked up a few tricks that really make a difference in how it turns out.
Don’t skip the hot liquid. Adding hot coffee or water to the batter might seem odd, but it’s a classic technique in chocolate baking. The heat blooms the cocoa powder, which intensifies the chocolate flavor and creates a smoother texture. If you use water instead of coffee, you’ll still get a great cake—just slightly less depth of flavor.
Measure your flour correctly. Too much flour will make the cake dry and dense. I always spoon the flour into my measuring cup and level it off with a knife rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack in way too much flour. If you have a kitchen scale, weighing is even better.
Use room temperature ingredients when possible. While this isn’t as critical as it is in some cake recipes, having your egg and milk at room temperature helps everything combine more smoothly and creates a more uniform batter.
Don’t overbake. This cake is meant to be moist and slightly fudgy. Start checking for doneness at 35 minutes, especially if your oven runs hot. A few moist crumbs on your tester are fine—you don’t want it to come out completely clean and dry.
Let it cool completely before slicing. I know it’s tempting to cut into a warm cake, but this one really needs time to set up. If you slice it too soon, it might fall apart or seem too gooey in the center. Give it at least an hour to cool, or even chill it in the fridge for cleaner slices.
If you’re a fan of German chocolate flavor profiles, you might also enjoy my German chocolate cake recipe from scratch, which has a similar richness with a coconut-pecan twist.
Delicious Variations to Try
This recipe is wonderfully adaptable. Once you’ve made the basic version a few times, here are some fun ways to switch it up.
Double Nutella swirl: Reserve 2 tablespoons of Nutella and dollop it on top of the batter before baking. Use a knife to swirl it into the surface for a marbled effect that looks bakery-worthy.
Dark chocolate version: Swap the milk chocolate chips for dark chocolate and use strong brewed coffee instead of water. This creates a more intense, grown-up chocolate flavor that’s less sweet.
Add espresso powder: Stir a teaspoon of instant espresso powder into the dry ingredients for an even deeper chocolate flavor with a subtle coffee note.
Raspberry twist: Fold in 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries along with the chocolate chips. The tart fruit cuts through the richness beautifully.
Nutty upgrade: Mix 1/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts directly into the batter in addition to the topping, or substitute toasted almonds or pecans if hazelnuts aren’t your thing.
Make it a layer cake: Double the recipe and bake in two 8-inch round pans for 25-30 minutes. Once cooled, layer with whipped cream or more Nutella for a showstopper dessert.
For something on the lighter side with a similar easy mixing method, check out my 4-ingredient yogurt cake recipe—it’s just as simple but with a totally different flavor profile.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even simple recipes can go sideways sometimes. Here’s how to fix the most common problems I’ve seen or experienced myself.
My cake sank in the middle. This usually means it was underbaked, even if the edges looked done. The center needs to be fully set before you remove it from the oven. Try baking for an additional 5 minutes next time, and make sure your oven temperature is accurate.
The cake is dry. This could be from overbaking or using too much flour. Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer, and try reducing the baking time by 5 minutes. Also, make sure you’re measuring flour correctly by spooning and leveling rather than scooping.
The batter seems too thin. After you add the hot liquid, the batter will be quite thin—this is normal and correct. It will bake up into a moist, tender cake. If it seems thin before you add the coffee, though, double-check that you measured everything correctly.
The top cracked a lot. Some cracking is normal and even desirable, but excessive cracking can happen if your oven is too hot. Try lowering the temperature by 25°F and baking a bit longer.
The hazelnuts burned. If your hazelnuts are turning too dark before the cake is done, tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
The cake stuck to the pan. Make sure to grease your pan thoroughly, including the corners. Lining the bottom with parchment paper provides extra insurance. If your cake does stick, run a thin knife around the edges and let it cool for an extra 10 minutes—sometimes that helps.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
One of the best things about this chocolate nutella cake is that it actually improves after a day or two as the flavors meld and the texture becomes even more moist and fudgy.
| Storage Method | Duration | Best Practices |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 2-3 days | Cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in airtight container |
| Refrigerator | Up to 5 days | Store in airtight container; let come to room temp before serving |
| Freezer | Up to 3 months | Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic, then foil; thaw overnight in fridge |
I usually keep this cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator because my kitchen can get warm, and the oil-based batter stays perfectly moist even when chilled. Just let slices sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving if you want the texture to soften up a bit.
For freezing, I like to cut the cake into individual portions and wrap each one separately. That way I can pull out just one or two pieces whenever the craving hits without having to thaw the entire cake. According to the FDA’s safe food handling guidelines, baked goods containing eggs and dairy should always be stored properly and consumed within safe timeframes.
This cake also makes a great gift or potluck contribution because it travels well and doesn’t need refrigeration for a few hours. I’ve wrapped it up and brought it to friends many times, and it always arrives intact and delicious.
Chocolate Nutella Cake FAQs
What is a chocolate Nutella cake?
A chocolate Nutella cake is a rich, moist dessert that combines chocolate cake layers with Nutella, a popular hazelnut chocolate spread. The cake typically features Nutella either mixed into the batter, spread between layers as filling, or used in the frosting. It offers a delicious combination of chocolate and hazelnut flavors that creates an indulgent and decadent treat.
How do you keep a chocolate Nutella cake moist?
To keep a chocolate Nutella cake moist, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate it for up to 5 days. The Nutella itself helps retain moisture due to its oil content. You can also brush the cake layers with simple syrup before frosting, avoid overbaking by checking doneness a few minutes early, and ensure the cake is completely cooled before wrapping to prevent condensation.
Can I make a chocolate Nutella cake ahead of time?
Yes, you can make a chocolate Nutella cake ahead of time. The unfrosted cake layers can be baked, cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. The fully assembled and frosted cake can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. If frozen, thaw the cake layers in the refrigerator overnight before assembling and frosting.
What frosting goes best with chocolate Nutella cake?
Nutella buttercream is the most popular choice for chocolate Nutella cake, made by beating Nutella with butter, powdered sugar, and cream. Other excellent options include chocolate ganache, cream cheese frosting with Nutella, whipped Nutella frosting, or a simple chocolate buttercream. For a lighter option, you can use whipped cream with Nutella folded in. The key is choosing a frosting that complements the hazelnut chocolate flavor without overpowering it.
Do I need to refrigerate chocolate Nutella cake?
It depends on the frosting and filling used. If your chocolate Nutella cake has buttercream frosting, it can stay at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. However, if it contains cream cheese frosting, whipped cream, or fresh fruit, it should be refrigerated. Refrigeration is also recommended in warm weather or humid climates to prevent the frosting from melting. Before serving refrigerated cake, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to enhance the flavor and texture.
Enjoying Your Chocolate Nutella Cake
There’s something wonderfully comforting about a simple chocolate cake that doesn’t require any special occasion or elaborate presentation. This chocolate nutella cake is perfect for a Tuesday afternoon craving, a weekend dessert, or bringing to a friend who needs a pick-me-up.
I love serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream while it’s still slightly warm, or with a cup of strong coffee in the afternoon. It’s also great for breakfast the next day—don’t judge me until you’ve tried it.
The beauty of this recipe is in its simplicity and reliability. It’s the kind of cake you can make without thinking too hard about it, and it rewards you with rich, chocolatey comfort every single time.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like my cozy grated chocolate toast with sea salt recipe for another easy chocolate treat that delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort.
Give this chocolate nutella cake a try this week, and let me know how it turns out. I’d love to hear what variations you experiment with or how you serve it to your family. Happy baking!
