Sky High Cakes - Chocolate-Hazelnut Nutcracker Cake (Cake Slice Bakers)

Chocolate-Hazelnut Nutcracker Cake

For this month's Cake Slice Bakers selection, we voted for the Chocolate-Hazelnut Nutcracker Cake in the great book, Sky High Cakes: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman (page 51).

You need to make this cake.

No, really. You need to make this cake.

Okay, you don't believe me? Let me show you why...

The recipe calls for skinned hazelnuts but I couldn't find any. So, I toasted them and then furiously rubbed them in my hands to skin them! Not everything came off but I figured the extra fiber wouldn't hurt anyone. :)

Grated unsweetened chocolate was a great addition to the chopped nuts. Hint: freeze or chill the chocolate to make the grating easier (I think this was the hardest part of the recipe...my arm was tired!). The hazelnuts are ground up...

...and a graham cracker crumb, hazelnut, chocolate, and sugar mixture is created!

The yolks are beaten with sugar and some oil, nut mixture, flour, pumpkin pie spice and baking powder are added. The batter is lightened with whipped egg whites.

I made half the recipe and used a 9 x 13 pan (original recipe is for 3 x 9 inch rounds). As you can see, I didn't level out the batter very nicely and my edges were a bit thin. I just put the smallest layer on top.

I used a 2 1/2 inch circle and cut 12. And don't think the leftover cake went into the trash...it didn't go to "waste" - it went to my "waist."

A simple syrup mixture with added rum is brushed on each layer. Because I was bringing it into work, I didn't want to use real rum and used a bit of rum extract. After last month's cake, the author wrote to me inquiring about this new baking group, and I took the opportunity to ask her about options. She suggested those coffeehouse non-alcohol syrups used to flavor coffee. I went searching but couldn't find a rum flavored one in my local stores so I went the rum extract route.

The filling is a heavenly Creme Chantilly: heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Directions say to make this cake about 6 hours before you serve it to allow everything to set up.

The cake is light and yet rich with texture and flavor. It's not too sweet and I could probably eat five pieces in one sitting. My co-worker said it is one of her favorite items I've ever brought into work.

Three layers of yum! Please, please make this cake! Alisa's book Sky High Cakes would be great under any baker's tree this season.

Check out the other Cake Slice Bakers - I know my fellow bakers were really creative with this cake!