Hazelnut Praline Chocolate Layer Cake

Method 7 steps

1. 01

   Heat the oven to 350 F and line two 8-inch pans. Whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar and baking soda, then whisk in the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Stir in the hot coffee to make a thin batter.

2. 02

   Bake 28 to 32 minutes until a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool, then split each cake into two layers.

3. 03

   Whip 1 cup cream to soft peaks and fold in the chocolate hazelnut spread to make the filling; reserve 1/2 cup for piping.

4. 04

   Stack the layers with the hazelnut cream between them, smooth the sides and chill 30 minutes.

5. 05

   Heat the remaining 1/2 cup cream until steaming, pour over the 8 oz chopped chocolate, rest 2 minutes and stir to a glossy ganache. Cool to 90 F and pour over the cake, spreading down the sides.

6. 06

   Melt the remaining 2 oz chocolate, spread thinly on parchment, chill and break into triangular shards.

7. 07

   Chill the cake 1 hour, slice with a hot knife and top each piece with a swirl of reserved cream, a shard, a praline truffle and chopped hazelnuts.

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