Ferrero Rocher Cake Recipe

[schema type=”recipe” name=”Ferrero Rocher Cake Recipe” author=”Rachel Howard” pubdate=”2015-03-15″ image=”http://www.sundaybaking.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Ferrero-Rocher-700.jpg” description=”A moist three layer chocolate cake with layers of chocolate praline and chocolate cornflakes. Covered in a rich chocolate buttercream and then topped with a chocolate icing. Pure indulgence! ” prephours=”1″ prepmins=”30″ cookmins=”25″ yield=”24″ ]

Today was Mothers Day and we had the family round for lunch. I had seen this amazing looking Ferrero Rocher cake that has been featured in the latest Jamie Oliver Magazine and knew I had to find a reason to make it. Well today was the day!

It did take quite a while to make and put together (around 2 hours) but I think it’s definitely worth it for a special occasion.

[callout title=Ingredients for the sponge:]

• 50g cocoa powder
• 200g plain flour
• 325g caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 90ml vegetable oil
• 6 egg yolks
• 6 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

[/callout]

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 160C and grease 3 round cake tins (the original recipe says to use one tall 23cm cake tin but I prefer to bake three individual cakes)
• Mix the cocoa powder with 200ml boiling water and leave to cool
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt – set aside
• Combine the oil and egg yolks and stir in the cocoa mixture
• Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients
• Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until they form stiff peaks
• Fold the egg whites into the batter
• Bake the cakes for around 20 – 25 minutes (around 25 – 45 minutes if you are using one big tin)

[callout title=Ingredients for the Praline:]

• 75g caster sugar
• 150g roasted hazelnuts
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

[/callout]

Method:

• Line a baking tray with parchment paper
• Melt the sugar in a pan  until it looks like a dark caramel colour (around 1 – 2 minutes)
• Quickly stir in the hazelnuts while still warm
• Spread over the baking tray, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and leave to cool
• Once cooled, blitz in a food processor until it is coarse crumbs
• Set aside 50g
• Add the vegetable oil to the rest and mix into a paste

[callout title=Ingredients for the buttercream:]

• 4 egg whites
• 240g caster sugar
• 2g vanilla extract
• 225g softened butter
• 100g dark chocolate

[/callout]

Method:

• Put the egg whites and sugar into a glass bowl
• Set it over a pan of simmering water and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is opaque
• Take the bowl off the heat, add the vanilla extract and whip on a high speed until cooled
• Gradually beat in the butter and whisk until thick and fluffy
• Melt the chocolate and then leave to cool for six minutes
• Fold the cooled melted chocolate into the buttercream

I don’t think I whisked mine quite enough on step three as my buttercream wasn’t very thick – it still worked though!

[callout title=Ingredients for the cornflake layer:]

• 150g dark chocolate
• 45g cornflakes
• praline paste (that you have already made!)

[/callout]

Method:

• Melt the chocolate
• Mix in the cornflakes and praline paste

Putting the cake together:

• Put the bottom cake layer on a plate
• Layer on half the cornflake layer
• Add a layer of buttercream
• Add the next sponge layer and repeat the layers of cornflakes and buttercream
• Add the top layer of sponge
• Cover the cake in buttercream
• Place int he fridge for half an hour while you make the icing

[callout title=Ingredients for the icing:]

• 175g dark chocolate
• 100g butter
• 1 tbsp honey
• 50g praline crumbs (that you have already made and put aside)

[/callout]

Method:

• Place all the ingredients in a saucepan – gently heat and mix
• Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature
• Once cooled, spoon some onto the refrigerated cake and let it drip down the sides

Decorate the cake with Ferrero Rocher’s. The one in the Jamie magazine also uses gold leaf but I used gold glitter to add a bit of sparkle!

This cake is extremely rich. They say it feeds 24 as it’s so rich and I would say that’s about right. I didn’t actually have any myself but everyone that had a big slice struggled!