Spiced hazelnut loaf cake with chocolate fudge frosting

A deliciously moist, lightly spiced hazelnut loaf cake, slathered with rich and fudgy dark chocolate topping. Enjoy with a cuppa for a lovely tea-time treat.

DH was headed up north to see his Aunt, Uncle and cousin who were visiting from Israel. We had originally all intended to go, but having spent 10 hours in the car with my daughter Kipper going up and down the M6 less than two weeks previously, we decided that she and I would send our apologies instead. And a cake, to soften the blow.

Cake decisions

I asked DH what sort of cake, and he muttered something unhelpfully vague, but followed it with, “but put some of the chocolate icing you put on my birthday cake on it.”

It had been DH’s birthday the week before, and Kipper and I had made him a huge chocolate marble cake to take to work. We’d slathered it in fudgy dark chocolate frosting and sprinkles. You can’t have birthday cake without sprinkles! Apparently the cake had been good, but the icing was outstanding. Right then.

Outdoor inspiration

As Kipper explored the woods on a cold almost-spring morning, I thought about cake. And about flavours that would go well under a blanket of rich chocolate icing.

Chocolate cake would be altogether too chocolatey, I thought. Vanilla cake too ordinary. Orange? Perhaps. Then inspiration struck – PEAR cake with chocolate topping. Or better yet, pear and cinnamon cake with chocolate topping. Mmmmm.

No pears…

Alas, the pear cake will have to wait, because when I got home and got out the baking equipment, I discovered that we’d eaten all the pears.

OK then, almond and cinnamon.

No almonds.

Fine. HAZELNUT and cinnamon. That works. Right.

Spiced hazelnut loaf cake

As I was reaching for the cinnamon, I decided to use my speculaas spice instead – it’s a sweet spice blend from the Netherlands, and tastes largely like cinnamon, only more delicious. (If you don’t have any speculaas, use plain cinnamon, mixed spice, or your favourite sweet spice blend instead.)

Super-sub

Without pears, with hazelnuts instead of almonds, and with speculaas instead of cinnamon. You could say this spiced hazelnut loaf cake with chocolate fudge frosting was not the cake I set out to make! And you’d probably be right. But it was still delicious. And I’ll definitely be making it again!

I actually made two of these hazelnut loaf cakes, so that DH would have one to take, and Kipper and I could enjoy one at home while he was away. 

Ingredients for hazelnut loaf cake

This cake was made with the ingredients that I had in my pantry, which were not the ones I anticipated! Hopefully, you’ll have all these things too, and you’ll be able to whip up a lovely hazelnut loaf cake in no time.

To make it, you will need:

• butter or margarine – depending on whether you want your cake to be dairy or parve
• demerara sugar
• eggs
• self-raising flour – for a light and fluffy cake
• ground hazelnuts – or you can use ground almonds or other ground nuts, but the flavour will be slightly different
• speculaas spice mix – or use mixed spice or cinnamon, or the sweet spice blend of your choosing
• a pinch of salt
• apple juice – or you can substitute water, milk, plant-based milk etc.

You will also need dark chocolate and butter or margarine to make the rich, dark and fudgy chocolate frosting.

Hazelnut loaf cake – a must bake!

The cake went down well with DH’s visiting family, and we also thoroughly enjoyed the one I kept for home. A friend who is currently breastfeeding her nearly-1-year-old devoured two large slabs. I’m delighted to say that it has stayed deliciously moist, probably because of all those nuts and the brown sugar. 

Recipe makes one spiced hazelnut loaf cake. 

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📖 Recipe

Spiced hazelnut loaf cake with chocolate fudge frosting

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A moist and nutty cake, smothered in rich and delicious dark chocolate frosting.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine British, Vegetarian

Servings 12

Calories 230 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 115 g butter or margarine
• 125 g demerara sugar
• 2 eggs
• 150 g self-raising flour
• 65 g ground hazelnuts
• 1 teaspoon speculaas spice mix (or mixed spice or cinnamon)
• Pinch salt
• 25 ml each of apple juice and water, mixed (just over 3 tablespoon liquid in total)

For the chocolate frosting

• 40 g dark chocolate (approx ⅓ cup chocolate chips)
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 1lb loaf tin with baking parchment.
• Cream the butter/margarine with the sugar till pale and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time and mix in. Follow each egg with a spoonful or two of flour. When both eggs are incorporated, add the rest of the flour, the hazelnuts, spice and salt, and mix well to thoroughly combine.
• Add just enough of the water/juice mixture to give a loose dropping consistency. You may need slightly more or slightly less than 50ml.
• Pour into the prepared tin and tap to level the mixture. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for around 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To make the frosting

• Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave. Stir well to ensure no lumps of chocolate remain, then allow to cool for a few minutes.
• Add the butter or margarine a little at a time, beating it in well. When it is all incorporated, the frosting should be thick, fudgy and glossy.
• Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake and leave to set. Cut into slices and serve!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Spiced hazelnut loaf cake with chocolate fudge frosting

Amount per Serving

Calories

230

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

14

g

22

%

Saturated Fat

 

7

g

44

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

3

g

Cholesterol

 

50

mg

17

%

Sodium

 

88

mg

4

%

Potassium

 

54

mg

2

%

Carbohydrates

 

22

g

7

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

12

g

13

%

Protein

 

4

g

8

%

Vitamin A

 

310

IU

6

%

Vitamin C

 

1

mg

1

%

Calcium

 

20

mg

2

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword chocolate, nuts, spice

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More delicious loaf cake recipes

This month, Family Foodies (organised by Eat Your Veg and Bangers & Mash) is on the theme of ‘Let’s get baking!’ This delicious loaf cake was enjoyed by our whole family, and as you can imagine, Kipper gave me a ‘helping hand’ making it.
I’m also entering it into Alphabakes – this month’s letter is S as in SPICED hazelnut cake! Alphabakes is organised by The More than Occasional Baker (who is also hosting this month) and Caroline Makes.

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