Nutella Cake {Gluten Free}

I feel like I should rename this blog ‘mbakes with chocolate’.
EVERYTHING has chocolate, I’m sorry if you’re getting sick of it. Am I trying to assert my femininity by using it? Dear god I hope not.

Sometimes, just sometimes, I have visions of rubbing chocolate into the pores of my face and I fear it may actually be cheaper than my Lancome ‘Tient Idole Ultra’ (what?) – which makes it all the more feasible and non-weird.

I polished off a poor man’s Magnum and a crème egg half an hour before falling into sleep induced coma yesterday. It may or may not have been my lowest point, albeit the moment I forgot how to write a good sentence.
This cake is definitely an ode to Easter, it would be perfect as an alternative to simnel cake or hot cross buns if you’re gluten intolerant, but I’d risk it for a bite of these fried hot cross donuts.

The Nutella cake is very rich in flavour and every scant forkful is as decadent as the next. Perfect reasoning for massively underexposing the photographs! You can can taste the darkness, yes?
This is a proper adult’s cake, by the way. We gave a hefty slice to my eight year old cousin and I could almost feel her dismay when she clocked on to the (sweet) bitterness. Oh, to be young. Happy Easter!

Nutella Cake {Gluten Free}
Adapted from How To Be A Domestic Goddess: Torta Alla Gianduia
6 egg, separated ¼ tsp cream of tartar 125g unsalted butter, softened 400g jar Nutella 1 tbsp water 100g ground hazelnuts (skin on) or almonds 100g dark chocolate, melted and cooled Ganache 125ml double cream 125g dark chocolate 1 tbsp golden syrup (optional) 100g hazelnuts, toasted and halved
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until peaks form. In another bowl, beat the butter and Nutella, add the water and egg yolks and stir until silky. Add the ground nuts and then fold in the melted chocolate along with a dollop of egg white to loosen the batter up a bit. Use a metal tablespoon to fold the rest of the whites in thirds, using the ‘figure of eight’ motion to incorporate the whites. Pour into an eight inch tin and bake for 40 minutes, until the sides start to shrink and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and leave to cool.
Heat the cream in a saucepan until just boiling, take off the heat and add the chocolate and syrup. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Spread on the cooled cake and decorate with toasted hazelnut halves.

Love Em xx