Nutella swirl loaf cake (with hazelnuts)

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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!

A piece of Nutella swirl loaf cake on a plate with a fork on a white and blue plate and with the rest of the cake and a glass of milk in the background

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.

A Nutella swirl loaf on a piece of brown baking paper and with a glass of milk and a jar of Nutella in the background

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!

A slice of Nutella swirl loaf cake on a blue and white plate with a fork
Look! A perfect Nutella swirl cake!

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

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A close up of a nutella swirl loaf cake with the first slice lying down and on brown baking paper
5 from 4 votes

Nutella swirl loaf cake (with hazelnuts)

Sweet, melty, buttery vanilla cake with swirls of Nutella running through it. Press some hazelnuts into the top and you’ve got yourself a stellar cake to have with your cup of tea!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 10 slices

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.

Notes

Warming the Nutella

If you don’t have a microwave, just warm the Nutella it slightly over a pot of simmering water.

How to layer the cake batter

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.
Don’t worry if you don’t get it exactly right. It won’t really matter.

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Cholesterol: 114mg, Sodium: 198mg, Potassium: 225mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 660IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 2.8mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

About Helen Schofield

Don't expect to find anything fussy or complicated here. Just QUICK, EASY & (mostly!) HEALTHY recipes from the Mediterranean and beyond. ENJOY!

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46 Comments

  1. 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!!

    1. 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!

  2. What a perfect texture, Helen! I love the idea of nutella and whole hazelnuts…now I’m SO hungry!!

  3. 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

  4. Love Nutella! I’ve been thinking to make a swirl cake for a while and can’t wait to try this one! Gorgeous!

  5. 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! 😀

  6. I am with you, cake and tea is my afternoon weakness and today, I want this cake. Lovely recipe.

  7. This cake is gorgeous, Helen! All your cake recipes are delicious. 🙂 Love the Nutella swirl – can’t wait to try this soon! 🙂

      1. Oops. Sorry, Gee. It’s 225 grams / 8 ounces / 2 sticks butter. I’ll change the recipe now!

  8. I am going to have to make this for my husband, as he is Nutella obsessed. Okay, I am a little bit too haha

  9. Helen, your loaf-cake looks absolutely marvelous! So moist and decadent – and I love that it involves one bowl, one whisk and one pan!