Nutella swirl loaf cake (with hazelnuts)
on Feb 02, 2019, Updated Apr 30, 2024
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I’d never say no to a slice 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. This Nutella cake is sweet, warm, melty, buttery… and irresistible!
There are quite a few cakes on Scrummy Lane that get rave reviews. Take this crowd pleasing and super easy 6-ingredient Swedish chocolate cake, for instance, or this incredible (but simple) Italian apple cake.
A few other personal favourites include this chocolate orange cake, and this peanut butter, banana and chocolate chip cake (you HAVE to try this one).
A crowd pleasing loaf cake
Actually, there are too many delicious and easy cakes on Scrummy Lane to mention, but one category of cake that’s always popular is loaf cakes or pound cakes!
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 cup of tea.
This Nutella cake is a real winner. You can’t really go wrong with Nutella, 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.
How to make this Nutella cake
You make this loaf cake in a classic sponge cake way:
STEP 1: CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGAR TOGETHER UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY.
STEP 2: ADD THE EGGS ONE BY ONE.
STEP 3: STIR THROUGH THE DRY INGREDIENTS.
Nothing more complicated than that.
Now 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.
Pro tip: 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.
Actually, two things left to do… slice and enjoy. Savour each sweet, chocolate-hazelnut-y, super buttery mouthful.
Just look at those swirls!
More easy loaf cakes
- This sticky lemon curd cake with blueberries is one of the most popular cakes on the blog for good reason!
- Really easy mini banana bread (with air fryer option!)
- Zucchini/Courgette in season? Make this pistachio, lime and zucchini loaf. It’s delicious!
- Banana and pistachio loaf with white chocolate cream cheese icing (easy to make this gluten free)
- This 6-ingredient ricotta lemon loaf cake is the cake to make when you need a delicious dessert in a hurry.
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Nutella swirl loaf cake (with hazelnuts)
Equipment
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
- Preheat the oven to 160C / 325F. Line a loaf pan (roughly 9 x 5 inches) with baking paper and set aside.
- 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).
- Add in the eggs one by one and whisk until well combined, then whisk in the vanilla.
- Tip in the flour and baking powder and stir in with a wooden spoon until well mixed (don’t be tempted to over-mix).
- 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.**
- 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.
- 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.
- Let cool for ten minutes in the pan, then remove and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Just found this recipe, baked tonight and it’s looking good! Thank you
Hello Rebecca. I hope you enjoyed it! 🙂
Made this today, best cake I’ve made to date really tasty
I agree about the cooking times took approx 15 mins longer
Hi Paula! So glad you enjoyed it (that’s a huge compliment!). And thanks for the feedback on the cooking time. I’ll have to take another look at the recipe and perhaps edit the cooking time. 🙂