I’d never say no to a nice piece of homemade vanilla loaf with a cup of tea. But let’s take this up a notch (or three!) by swirling Nutella through it and squishing hazelnuts on top. Sweet, warm, melty, buttery deliciousness!
I feel like I’ve had a good run of success with the cakes I’ve made recently. Take this really easy chocolate orange cake, for instance, or this peanut butter, banana and chocolate chip cake.
So I thought I’d make the most of my lucky streak and have a go at another one; this time a loaf cake, because I haven’t made one of those in a while. And let’s face it, they’re the easiest sort of cake to make. Just whisk a few ingredients together, pour into loaf pan, shove in the oven, and you’re less than an hour away from a yummy cake to go with your cuppa.
I have no idea where the inspiration came for this one. You just can’t really go wrong with Nutella now, can you? Swirl it through a really well made rich and buttery loaf cake, scatter a few hazelnuts on top, and you’ve created something much more impressive than the sum of its parts.
You make this in a classic sponge cake way by first creaming the butter and sugar together so it’s light and fluffy, then you add the eggs one by one and finally stir through the dry ingredients. Nothing more complicated than that.
Then comes the fun part. Roughly split the cake batter into three (just in the bowl – nothing fancy). Spread the first third over the bottom of the loaf tin, then warm some Nutella for a few seconds in the microwave before pouring it over. Perhaps leave a bit of a border between the Nutella and the edge of the loaf tin so that it doesn’t all ooze out – but don’t worry about getting it perfect.
Cover with a second layer of cake batter, a second layer of Nutella, then a final layer of cake. Don’t worry that the cake layers are thin – they’ll rise up beautifully!
Just one thing left to do before tossing the cake in the oven – press a big handful of hazelnuts into the top. They add a really complimentary crunch.
There’s no doubt about it – this isn’t one of the lightest cakes you’ll ever eat, but we aren’t going to worry about that. We’re just going to have a small piece, and focus on savouring each sweet, chocolate-hazelnut-y, super buttery mouthful.
Just look at those swirls!
Nutella swirl loaf cake (with hazelnuts)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces butter (or 2 sticks)
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 8.8 ounces Nutella
- 1/3 cup whole hazelnuts
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 160C / 325F. Line a loaf pan (roughly 9 x 5 inches) with baking paper and set aside.
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Leave the butter out of the fridge for a while to soften, then add it to a large bowl with the sugar and cream it together with a hand-held whisk until light and fluffy (two or three minutes).
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Add in the eggs one by one and whisk until well combined, then whisk in the vanilla.
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Tip in the flour and baking powder and stir in with a wooden spoon until well mixed (don’t be tempted to over-mix).
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Pour roughly 1/3 of the cake batter into the bottom of the loaf pan. Then warm the Nutella in a microwave* (15 seconds or so should do it) and pour half of it over the batter in the pan.**
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Pour another 1/3 of the batter over the Nutella layer, followed by the rest of the Nutella. Finally, top with the last layer of cake batter.
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Sprinkle with hazelnuts, pressing lightly into the top, then bake the cake for about fifty minutes or until the cake is well risen and has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan.
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Let cool for ten minutes in the pan, then remove and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Recipe Notes
*If you don’t have a microwave, just warm it slightly over a pot of simmering water.
** Try to leave a small border between the layer of Nutella and the sides of the pan. This will stop it running out of the cake too much, but don’t worry if you don’t get it exactly right. It won’t really matter.
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Annie says
What a delicious snack cake!!
Helen says
Thanks Annie! 🙂
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I am going to have to make this for my husband, as he is Nutella obsessed. Okay, I am a little bit too haha
Helen says
Haha… who isn’t? I love eating it from a big spoon!
Jess @ What Jessica Baked Next says
This cake is gorgeous, Helen! All your cake recipes are delicious. 🙂 Love the Nutella swirl – can’t wait to try this soon! 🙂
Helen says
Thank you so much, Jess. I take that as a really big compliment coming from you!
Gee says
How much butter for this one?
Helen says
Oops. Sorry, Gee. It’s 225 grams / 8 ounces / 2 sticks butter. I’ll change the recipe now!
[email protected] says
I am with you, cake and tea is my afternoon weakness and today, I want this cake. Lovely recipe.
Helen says
Thanks Janette! 🙂
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says
Helen, your loaf-cake looks absolutely marvelous! So moist and decadent – and I love that it involves one bowl, one whisk and one pan!
Helen says
Thanks Shashi my dear! 🙂
Lorraine @Not Quite Nigella says
I[‘m a big fan of swirls of jam or Nutella or peanut butter! It really adds so much flavour to a loaf. Gorgeous work Helen! 😀
Helen says
Thanks Lorraine. We can be the Swirly Girls!! 🙂
mira says
Love Nutella! I’ve been thinking to make a swirl cake for a while and can’t wait to try this one! Gorgeous!
Helen says
Do give it a go Mira! Perfect treat for pregnant ladies!! 🙂
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
this looks AMAZING. and i am so craving a slice right now – love how soft and fluffy the cake is.. and ALL THAT NUTELLA looks so so good. Xx
Helen says
Hi Thalia!! Nice to ‘see’ you here! 🙂
Marissa says
What a perfect texture, Helen! I love the idea of nutella and whole hazelnuts…now I’m SO hungry!!
Helen says
Sorry, Marissa!!! Naughty, I know… 🙂
Jessica @ Citrus Blossom Bliss says
Finally! Something I can bake with the huge tub of Nutella I have instead of just eating spoonfuls of it straight from the jar. I love the hazelnuts on top. I wish I had a slice of this right now!!
Helen says
Hi Jessica! Thanks so much for passing by! Give the cake a go, but don’t stop eating Nutella out of the jar – that’s what it’s for!
kristy says
This looks absolutely amazing!!! 🙂
Helen says
Thanks Kristy…hope you give it a go!
Jessica @ Jessica in the Kitchen says
This looks like such a beautiful loaf Helen! I am totally in love with that swirl. You’re making me crave a mug version with a cup of tea right now!
Helen says
Hi Jessica! Wow! A mug version would be wonderful… give it a go!
Eva says
Cet cake il est gagnant c’est sûre! Tu as réussie ton strike! Ici, il pleut des cordes toute la journée et ton cake ça me fera le plus grand bien ! Happy raining weekend Helen 😉
Helen says
🙂
Izzy @ She Likes Food says
Someone was just telling me how they had never eaten nutella before and I couldn’t believe it! I’ve been craving cake lately and this one looks pretty amazing! I love all that nutella goodness packed in there 🙂
Helen says
Hi Izzy!!! So nice to see you here! I think that’s criminal… never having tried Nutella before! 🙂
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says
Omg… Helen!!! Before I even saw the glorious photos, you had me at the title! Seriously, what’s not to love?! I’d happily eat Nutella straight out of the jar. But when you up the stakes by swirling it into a loaf cake….what I wouldn’t do for a slice of this right now – I’m seriously drooling here!
Helen says
I know, Kathleen… aren’t I naughty? Although eating Nutella straight out of the jar is naughtier (totally allowed though – that’s what Nutella’s for!)
Jan Rutledge says
Could you please bear in mind your followers in the UK where most of us use digital scales. Every US conversion chart I look at is different. Makes baking a cake twice as long.
Making your Sticky Blueberry lemon curd cake today.
Thanks in anticipation.
Jan
Helen says
Hi Jan! Just below the recipe ingredients there’s a little button: US customary – metric. Just click on the ‘metric’ button and you’ll see all the measurements in grams.
Hope you enjoy the cake. It’s one of my favourites!