Chocolate hazelnut cake w/ chocolate ganache {vegan}

(cliccate qui per la versione italiana)

Happy Monday, everyone!

Here I am with a new recipe that I made yesterday. I’d wanted to make this cake for what feels like an eternity and I don’t know why, seeing as how this is probably the easiest cake ever! And delicious, too. I always use this recipe every time I need or want to make a chocolate cake, halving or doubling the amount of ingredients depending on what I need, and subbing part of the flour for something more exciting, and it always comes out great. The only thing – do not overcook. But that goes for everything, I guess.

What better combination than chocolate and hazelnut?! Seriously, maybe only chocolate and orange can compete.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CAKE W/ CHOCOLATE GANACHE {vegan}
by Marta Giaccone

Recipe
yields one 20cm/8in cake

Cake
1 + ¼ cup / 170 gr flour
¾ cup / 70 gr hazelnut flour (you can blend hazelnuts)
45 gr cacao powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
seeds from 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
¾ cup / 180 ml maple syrup, honey, etc
¼ cup / 60 ml light vegetable oil
1 + scant ¼ cup / 300 ml vegetable milk

Ganache
1 medium avocado (about 115 gr pulp)
25 gr vegetable milk
50 gr dark chocolate, melted
1 tsp maple syrup, honey, etc
pinch salt
handful roasted hazelnuts

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
2. In a large bowl sift and mix the dry ingredients; in another bowl mix the wet ingredients and then add to the dry ones.
3. Stir well until you have a smooth batter (it will be quite liquid).
4. If you use a cake pan with a removable bottom I find it convenient to line the bottom with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides with oil.
5. Pour the batter and bake for about 35 minutes. Check with a clean knife in the center until it comes out clean. Do not overcook.
6. In the meantime make the ganache: blend all ganache ingredients except for the hazelnuts. You will have a silky cream. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge.
7. When the cake is ready leave it to cool completely on a wire rack. After about 30 minutes, remove it from the cake pan. Once cooled you can decorate it or, as I did, I let it sit in the fridge overnight and then decorated it before serving.
8. Spread the ganache, then add the hazelnuts.
9. Personally I like to store this kind of cake in the fridge for optimal moisture!