One taste of that deliciously creamy spread – Nutella – and I was hooked. It wasn’t long before I made one of the best coffee cake-like desserts using this hazelnut spread. This recipe is a sugar cookie dough with an additional egg. You will adore the crispy topping, as will the super easy preparation.
Nutella Cookie Crunch CakeINGREDIENTS
Nonstick cooking spray1 stick (1/2-cup) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar2 eggs2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup flour1/2 teaspoon each baking powder and baking soda
1/2 cup hazelnut spread, meltedTopping:
3 tablespoons sugar1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon melted butter or margarine
INSTRUCTIONSGrease a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until very smooth with an electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla, continuing to beat until smooth once again.
In another bowl, blend the flour with the baking powder and baking soda. Add to butter mixture and beat until well mixed. It will be thick. Transfer dough to prepared cake pan.
Microwave hazelnut spread for about 30 seconds, removing to stir until creamy and thinned out. If more time is needed for it to completely melt, heat in 15 second increments.
Heavily drizzle over the top, running a butter knife into the batter, creating a somewhat marbling effect and slightly combining the nutella with batter.
Meanwhile for the topping, mix sugar, cinnamon and melted butter with a fork until evenly blended. Sprinkle over the top of the cake and bake 24 minutes. The center will feel very doughy and undone, but that is the effect we want.
Remove from oven to cool before serving. Add additional melted hazelnut spread over the top if desired.
The Yankee Chef Jim Bailey is a third-generation chef, food columnist, cookbook author and food historian. Bailey lives in Maine with his wife and four children.
