Olive Oil Chocolate Hazelnut CakeThe holiday baking season is finally here and I am thrilled! I spend so much time in the kitchen. I bake for my friends, my family, for the kids’ school parties and much more. The biggest joy for me is being able to deliver cakes like the one you see above to people that I care about.

I’m one of those people who believe that a homemade gift is a more meaningful gift. Taking the time to make a gift lets your recipient know that you actually put forth effort and thought into their gift. It’s also a much more economical option when you have a long list of folks on your gift list. Now, I am not a crafty person but give me a recipe and I’m golden! Anyone can follow a recipe, you just need the right ingredients!

The cake above is a delicious Chocolate Hazelnut Cake made with Bertolli® Extra Light Tasting™ Olive Oil! It’s rich and decadent and looks fancy, but I promise it’s quite easy to prepare. The hardest part may be actually giving it away!

BER083_ExtraLightOlive oil is an every day staple in my kitchen—but did you know that you can also use it when you bake? For the benefits of olive oil without the taste, substitute Bertolli® Extra Light Tasting™ Olive Oil for butter, shortening and other vegetable oils. It’s ideal for high-heat cooking like baking, frying and sautéing.

Olive oil is my go to for baking because it has less calories than butter, is a good source of vitamin E (an antioxidant) and has a light taste so it lets the flavors of your recipe shine through. Just look at the conversion chart below to see the benefits of using olive oil. See… I told you it was a great choice!

bertolli conversion chart

I have great news: the folks at Bertolli® are giving away what I consider a kitchen essential this holiday season. Enter the Baking with Bertolli® sweepstakes for a chance to win a KitchenAid Stand Mixer and get more great recipes like this Chocolate Hazelnut Cake! To enter, text BAKE to 87963.

Pick up a bottle of Bertolli® Extra Light Tasting™ Olive Oil the next time you are at Publix and give this recipe a try, then let me know what you think! I think my version turned out just about as good as the original. That means anyone can do it!

And if you hurry you can get a great deal the next time you pick up a bottle of Bertolli Olive Oil! Be sure to print the new coupons and you’ll save $1 off your purchase of Bertolli oil when you shop at Publix.

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Olive Oil Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
Author: Michelle
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • [u]For the cake[/u]
  • ¾ cup toasted hazelnuts plus extra for garnish, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp orange zest, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 large whole eggs
  • 2 large egg whites
  • ¾ cup Bertolli® Extra Light Tasting™ Olive Oil
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice and zest
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • Bertolli® Extra Light Tasting™ Olive Oil Spray (for pan)
  • [u]For the chocolate glaze[/u]
  • 3.5 ounces semi sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Prepare a 9-inch spring form pan with olive oil spray.
  3. Sprinkle with flour and tap out excess.
  4. Place the hazelnuts, orange zest and 2 tablespoons of the sugar (from the 1 cup) in a food processor and process until very finely chopped. Set aside.
  5. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
  6. Add the ground hazelnut mixture to the flour mixture until blended and set aside.
  7. Combine the whole eggs and egg whites in a large mixing bowl and beat on medium high until frothy.
  8. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, scraping down the bowl from time to time, until the mixture is thick and pale in color, 3 to 5 minutes.
  9. With the mixer on its lowest speed add the Bertolli® Extra Light Tasting™ Olive Oil in a slow, steady stream.
  10. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the orange juice and vanilla; gently stir with a rubber spatula until blended.
  11. In three or four additions gently fold the flour and hazelnut mixture into the egg yolk mixture until blended.
  12. Pour into the prepared pan.
  13. Bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and the center is feels set when pressed lightly with a fingertip, about 30 minutes.
  14. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack.
  15. Prepare glaze while cake cools by heating the heavy cream to a low simmer in a small saucepan. Add the chocolate to the hot cream and stir until chocolate is melted.
  16. Cool at room temperature until glaze is thick enough to spread.
  17. Use an offset spatula to spread the glaze on the top of the cake.
  18. Garnish the rim of the cake with toasted Hazelnuts and the top with orange zest.
  19. Serve with a whipped cream.

For more information and other great recipe ideas, be sure to visit the Bertolli® website. Also, follow Bertolli on Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

This post is brought to you by the folks at Bertolli®. All comments and opinions are my own.