Perfect for Passover (and honestly, any time of year) – soft, fluffy, and topped with a glossy Nutella cream and roasted hazelnut crunch.
💫 A Nutella Love Story – That Began in Austria
I remember my first encounter with Nutella like it was yesterday – late 1970s, Austria.
It was my very first trip abroad, and I discovered that addictive combination of chocolate and hazelnuts. I was instantly hooked.
Back in Israel? Nutella wasn’t even on the radar. We had “HaShachar” spread, and later came “HaMimrachit”… but Nutella? That was a whole other league.
I also discovered Manner Schnitten – classic Austrian wafers filled with chocolate-hazelnut cream.
And then there were spaghetti-shaped ice creams, and even ice cream that looked like pizza! A whole new world had opened before me.
A Small Local Pride
And then came the Israeli Glilit!
A crispy wafer filled with chocolate-hazelnut cream – just as good as the original, and suspiciously light.
One pack? Gone in a minute.
I was so proud to serve it to guests from abroad!
🍰 So… What Does This Have to Do With My Nutella Cake?
When I launched the blog, I never imagined I’d start developing recipes myself.
But when my gluten-free carrot muffins turned out amazing – I realized I could go even further.
What if I took that same base… and turned it into a vegan Nutella cake?
And topped it with a silky, shiny chocolate-hazelnut cream and toasted nuts? If you’re going for it – go all the way!
💡 And It Worked – Almost Instantly
The cake came out perfect on the first try – just one little tweak (an extra ¼ cup of liquid) gave it that soft, fluffy texture all the way to the top.
✨ Why You’ll Fall in Love
🍫 Deep, rich flavor from real homemade vegan Nutella
🌱 100% vegan
🚫 Gluten-free – perfect for Passover
🧁 Super soft and fluffy texture
🧂 Toasted hazelnuts + a touch of flaky salt – a bite of heaven
🍓 Strawberry sauce + vegan vanilla ice cream? Divine.
🍓 A Game-Changing Upgrade Tip
Serve it with fresh strawberry sauce (recipe below!) and a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream – and watch even the non-vegans fall head over heels.
💬 A Bite of a Message
This is one of the most indulgent cakes I’ve ever made – rich, beautiful, and you’d never guess how easy it is to whip up.
And the best part? It’s fully vegan, gluten-free, and guilt-free.
Enjoy every bite – and wishing you a joyful and delicious Passover! 🍷📜❣
📌 Loved the recipe? Give it some stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It really helps boost the blog – and gives me the inspiration to keep creating delicious things 💛
RECIPE
🍫 Vegan & Gluten-Free Nutella Cake – A Chocolate Explosion for the Holidays!
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup potato starch
- ½ cup tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon coco powder Unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ⅔ cup unsweetened plant based milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup sugar
- 113 gram apple sauce unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 100 gram hazelnuts butter
- 100 gram Vegan dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
🍫 Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting
- 50 gram hazelnuts butter
- 100 gram Vegan dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or agave syrup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Decoration
- hazelnut crunch
- Coarse Atlantic sea salt optional
🧾 Before You Start
- Start by preheating your oven to 170°C (340°F).
- Line the bottom of your cake pan with a round of parchment paper, and grease the pan well – including the paper.If you prefer, you can also use a 12-cup muffin tin lined with paper cases.
🥣 Dry Ingredients
- In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: almond flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.Give it a good mix, then set aside.
Wet Ingredients
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar.
- Add the sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract, and whisk well to combine.
- In the microwave, melt the hazelnut butter, chopped chocolate, and olive oil. Stir until smooth and creamy, then add to the wet mixture and whisk until fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until you get a smooth, uniform batter.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan (or evenly divide it between the muffin cups).
- Bake in the center of the oven for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.If you're using a muffin tin, baking time will be shorter – start checking after 20–25 minutes.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack. It’s important to let it cool completely in the pan.
🍫 Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting
- Place all the frosting ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl: hazelnut butter, chopped dark chocolate, maple syrup (or agave or silan), olive oil, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.Heat for about a minute, until the chocolate is melted.Whisk well until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the frosting over the cake and spread it gently with a spatula. You can cover the sides as well – or, like in the photo, simply let it drip naturally (with a little help from your spatula).
- Garnish with hazelnut crunch or roasted chopped hazelnuts.If you’d like, sprinkle a touch of coarse Atlantic sea salt on top.
To Serve
- Serve the cake as is – or take it to the next level with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of strawberry sauce (recipe below).Get ready to fall in love. 💫
- Store the cake in the fridge, and take it out about 15 minutes before serving.
🍓 Strawberry Sauce (Optional but Highly Recommended!)
Blend fresh strawberries with powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice – adjust to taste.And if you happen to have homemade vanilla-infused powdered sugar (just blend it with a vanilla bean)… you’ve officially hit the jackpot!
🥄 A Few Words in Praise of the Multi-Spatula
The multi-spatula (a genius hybrid between a spoon and a spatula) is one of my favorite kitchen tools – brilliantly designed for folding batters, spreading frostings, scraping down the sides of a blender or food processor, cleaning out every last bit from your bowl… and even for adding liquids like a spoon. I’ll admit it – I’m a bit obsessed with kitchen gadgets. I have everything, sometimes even in twos. (Yes, it’s that bad.)But once I discovered the multi-spatula? I said goodbye to most of my old wooden spoons and spatulas – as friends, of course. It’s one of those tools that serve you well for so many things, and for so long!
No more wooden spoons that stain, wear out, or start looking… let’s just say less than appetizing.
This one doesn’t warp, doesn’t age – and most importantly, it doesn’t mold!
Want to make your own Nutella spread too?
Click here for the homemade vegan Nutella recipe👉
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