How are you doing so shortly after Easter? Did you eat a lot? Well… I guess there is always room for a last slice of cake, right? Maybe a delicious hazelnut cake with nougat and mascarpone? Yeah… gimme that plate. Not many slices left this time ;)

For special occasions or whenever you are in the mood, a little piece of a little cake is the perfect match with a good cup of coffee. Some time ago I decided to make my cakes a bit smaller than usual if there are not many guests waiting to be fed. If you have a big cake and only a handful of people munchin’, you end up with leftovers most of the time and probably eat the next two days the same cake. Can be good, but I prefer fresh cakes and I also want some variety in my diet :P The smaller cakes require the same amount of work and are gone much faster… so make sure that’s what you want and need ;)

This delicious little hazelnut cake with nougat and mascarpone says it all right away. A light and fluffy hazelnut cake with a filling and coating made with nougat and mascarpone. Sugar combined with fat and chocolate. Sounds great, right?! ;)
I used several Toffifee for the decoration – if you don’t like them or can’t get hold of them, feel free to use any other chocolate decoration, chocolates, shredded chocolate or whatever pleases you :smile: I decided to us the Toffifee cause they are made with nougat and hazelnuts – good match here.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
14 oz. (400g) dark nougat (Viennese or German Style)
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
1 cup (130g) confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
26 oz. (750g) mascarpone
For the dough:
6 medium eggs
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
7 oz. (200g) ground hazelnuts
1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
For the decoration:
5.3 oz. (150g) semi-sweet chocolate, melted
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Toffifee
400g Nougat
120ml Sahne
130g Puderzucker
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
750g Mascarpone
Für den Teig:
6 Eier (M)
100g Zucker
100g brauner Zucker
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
200g gemahlene Haselnüsse
65g Mehl (Type 405)
1 1/2 TL Backpulver
2 EL Kakao
1/4 TL Salz
Für die Dekoration:
150g Zartbitterschokolade, geschmolzen
2 EL Pflanzenöl
Toffifee

DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180°C). Line three 7 inches (18cm) springform tins with baking parchment, grease lightly and set aside.
3. For the cake batter add the eggs to a large bowl and mix for about 1 minute on high speed until fluffy. Mix the sugars and add gradually while still mixing. Add the vanilla extract and mix in. Mix the ground hazelnuts with flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. Add to the bowl and fold in carefully – you want to keep as much volume as possible. Pour the batter into the baking tins (I weight them to get the same amount of batter in each tin) and bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Take out of the oven and place on a wire rack. Go with a sharp knife around the cakes to loosen them from the tin after they have cooled for several minutes, then let them cool down completely. You can bake the cakes also a day in advance.
4. Take the nougat filling out of the fridge and mix with your kitchen machine on high speed until lighter in color and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and mix in. Add the mascarpone gradually and mix until you get a nice fluffy cream. Place in the fridge again for about 30 minutes.
5. For assembling the cake place a cake layer on a serving plate and spread about 1/4 of the nougat-mascarpone cream on top. Make sure the cake layers are even and cut off the top part if it’s not nice and flat. Place the second cake layer on top and spread the same amount of cream on top. Finish with the last cake layer and coat the complete cake with a thin layer of cream. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Take out and add a second layer of cream on the top and sides of the cake. Make sure you keep some cream for the decoration and fill it into a piping bag. Place the cake and piping bag in the fridge for at least one hour.
6. Melt the chocolate for the decoration and mix with the oil. Set aside to cool down a bit – it has to thicken a bit again so you can work with it. As soon as the cake has cooled enough and the chocolate sauce is a bit thicker, you can start decorating the cake. Start at the edges and let the chocolate drip down, then fill up the top of the cake with chocolate. Place in the fridge again until the chocolate hardened, then decorate the cake with small swirls of cream and Toffifee. Place in the fridge until it’s time to serve.
2. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) vorheizen. Drei 18cm (7 inches) Springformen mit Backpapier auslegen, leicht einfetten und zur Seite stellen.
3. Für die Kuchen die Eier in einer großen Schüssel für etwa 1 Minute auf höchster Stufe aufschlagen, dann die beiden Zuckersorten langsam einrieseln lassen und alles hell und luftig aufschlagen – die Masse sollte viel Volumen bekommen. Den Vanille Extrakt zugeben und mit aufschlagen. Die gemahlenen Haselnüsse mit dem Mehl, Backpulver, Kakao und Salz vermischen und dann vorsichtig unter die Eimasse heben. Den Teig gleichmäßig auf die drei Backformen verteilen und dann für 28-30 Minuten backen – mit einem Zahnstocher testen, ob noch Teig kleben bleibt und erst herausnehmen, wenn der Zahnstocher sauber herauskommt. Die Formen aus dem Ofen nehmen und auf eine Kuchengitter stellen – nach ein paar Minuten mit einem Messer vom Rand lösen und dann komplett auskühlen lassen. Man kann die Kuchenschichten ebenfalls einen Tag vorher backen.
4. Für die Füllung die Nougat-Sahne-Masse mit der Küchenmaschine auf höchster Stufe aufschlagen, bis sie hell und geschmeidig ist. Den Puderzucker und Vanille Extrakt zugeben und unterrühren. Den Mascarpone nach und nach dazugeben und alles zu einer luftigen Creme aufschlagen. Für etwa 30 Minuten in den Kühlschrank stellen.
5. Zum Zusammenbau der Torte eine Kuchenschicht auf eine Servierplatte legen und mit etwa 1/4 der Nougat-Mascarpone Creme bestreichen – darauf achten, dass die Kuchenschichten gerade sind und ggf. zurechtschneiden, sonst kann es später Stabilitätsprobleme geben. Eine zweite Kuchenschicht auflegen und wieder mit Creme bestreichen. Die letzte Kuchenschicht darauf platzieren und die komplette Torte mit einer dünnen Schicht Creme bestreichen. Für 30 Minuten in den Kühlschrank stellen. Wieder herausnehmen und mit einer weiteren Schicht der Creme einstreichen (dabei etwas für die Dekoration später zurückbehalten). Die Torte jetzt für mindestens 1 Stunde in den Kühlschrank stellen, damit sie komplett durchkühlen kann. Den Rest der Creme in einen Spritzbeutel füllen und ebenfalls in den Kühlschrank legen.
6. Die Schokolade für die Dekoration schmelzen und mit dem Öl vermischen. Zur Seite stellen und abkühlen lassen – zur weiteren Verwendung muss die Schokoglasur wieder leicht andicken, damit sie beim Verzieren der Torte nicht davonläuft. Sobald die Torte durchgekühlt ist und die Schokoladenglasur die richtige Konsistenz hat, die Torte damit verzieren – an den Rändern anfangen, damit die Schokolade leicht runterlaufen kann, dann die Oberseite der Torte komplett mit Glasur bedecken. Alles wieder zurück in den Kühlschrank, bis die Schokolade etwas angezogen hat. Dann mit der verbliebenen Creme kleine Tupfen auf die Torte spritzen und mit Toffifee verzieren. Bis zum Servieren wieder in den Kühlschrank stellen.

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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Hazelnut Nougat Mascarpone Cake
- Prep Time: 50
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 210
Description
Delicious little cake with hazelnut, nougat and mascarpone.
Ingredients
For the nougat filling
- 14 oz. (400g) dark nougat (Viennese or German Style)
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (130g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 26 oz. (750g) mascarpone
For the dough
- 6 medium eggs
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 7 oz. (200g) ground hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
For the decoration
- 5.3 oz. (150g) semi-sweet chocolate, melted
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- Toffifee
Instructions
- Start by preparing the filling. Chop the nougat and add to a heatproof bowl. Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan and heat up until bubbles appear on the surface. Pour over the chopped nougat and let sit for about 5 minutes, then whisk until well combined. Place in the fridge and let cool down. This can be done a day in advance.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180°C). Line three 7 inches (18cm) springform tins with baking parchment, grease lightly and set aside.
- For the cake batter add the eggs to a large bowl and mix for about 1 minute on high speed until fluffy. Mix the sugars and add gradually while still mixing. Add the vanilla extract and mix in. Mix the ground hazelnuts with flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. Add to the bowl and fold in carefully – you want to keep as much volume as possible. Pour the batter into the baking tins (i weight them to get the same amount of batter in each tin) and bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Take out of the oven and place on a wire rack. Go with a sharp knife around the cakes to loosen them from the tin after they have cooled for several minutes, then let them cool down completely. You can bake the cakes also a day in advance.
- Take the nougat filling out of the fridge and mix with your kitchen machine on high speed until lighter in color and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract and mix in. Add the mascarpone gradually and mix until you get a nice fluffy cream. Place in the fridge again for about 30 minutes.
- For assembling the cake place a cake layer on a serving plate and spread about 1/4 of the nougat-mascarpone cream on top. Make sure the cake layers are even and cut off the top part if it’s not nice and flat. Place the second cake layer on top and spread the same amout of cream on top. Finish with the last cake layer and coat the complete cake with a thin layer of cream. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Take out and add a second layer of cream on the top and sides of the cake. Make sure you keep some cream for the decoration and fill it into a piping bag. Place the cake and piping bag in the fridge for at least one hour.
- Melt the chocolate for the decoration and mix with the oil. Set aside to cool down a bit – it has to thicken a bit again so you can work with it. As soon as the cake has cooled enough and the chocolate sauce is a bit thicker, you can start decorating the cake. Start at the edges and let the chocolate drip down, then fill up the top of the cake with chocolate. Place in the fridge again until the chocolate hardened, then decorate the cake with small swirls of cream and Toffifee. Place in the fridge until it’s time to serve.
Notes
- Enjoy baking!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
I’m making this cake for the May Bank holiday weekend!
Hope you like it! :)
Cheers,
Marc
What kind of nougat do you use.
Is it ok to use pistachio nougat?
I’m afraid that would not work. In addition to the filling, but not as a replacement of regular nougat.
Cheers,
Marc
I too have a question about the nougat. Is it purchased or do you make it and if you make it, would you include recipe?
Hi Diane,
dark nougat is something I would never make myself – too much work ;)
I use the one for baking you can get in stores here.
Cheers,
Marc
Nougat is more of a European candy, of course you can buy it here in New York. I always see it filled with pistachios or almonds…I can’t recall seeing it just plain! I guess I’ll have to try to find some to make this delicious sounding cake.
I searched the internet for “nougat” and every one I see has nuts in it, for example:
http://wannacomewith.com/2013/06/honey-almond-nougat/
In the USA is what you call nougat something else here? I know nougat as the chewy white candy which usually has nuts in it and is sold in packages from Italy or France! Please advise. Thank you.
Hi Susan,
I know – the nougat topic can be a bit confusing ;)
The one you are referring to can also be called “nougat” here in Germany, but mostly “white nougat” or “turkish honey” or “Turrón” – that’s made with nuts like almonds or pistachios, white and kind of chewy. The one you need for the cake is dark nougat or internationally sometimes called “Viennese nougat” or “German-style nougat” – it’s mostly nuts, cocoa butter, cocoa, and sugar. I am pretty sure online shops for baking supplies will have it. There are also Youtube videos and recipes that explain how to make it at home – I think it’s not too difficult to make if you have a good blender :)
Cheers,
Marc