let them eat cake, chocolate hazelnut cake

Last week I wanted to make a cake that would last all week – something to serve to a few guests as they came over to visit and some of it to bring into work as a small treat. I had made some chocolate cupcakes the week earlier for a co-worker’s birthday and decided I would try and make the recipe into a larger cake with a few tweaks.

I was trying to make a hazelnut-chocolate flavored cake, but the hazelnut flavor fell a little short of my expectations. I tried using some hazelnut oil I bought at Bristol Farms to replace some of the butter but it didn’t give it enough oomph. I was trying to find a hazelnut extract, but next time I attempt it I may go for just trying to use some hazelnut liquor instead.

What was great about this cake were the hazelnuts. I toasted them in the oven and sprinkled them in between the layers and all over the outside of the cake. And I would try making the frosting with the hazelnut liquor, too. I made a little mess with the frosting and ended up just using a store bought frosting and mixing some of the hazelnut oil in – which didn’t really work. But the cake still turned out to be tasty – but very rich. The first piece I had was too large of a piece. But the hazelnuts made it awesome.

So, more hazelnut attempts for the future – as if you haven’t guessed, I really like hazelnut. I’ve also been toying with the idea of a hazelnut cheesecake… hmm.

Besides all of the dessert making I’ve been doing lately, I’ve been seeing my share of films lately which is kind of strange since I felt like I had a big long movie void in my life. So far this summer I’ve seen Indiana Jones, Iron Man, And Then She Found Me (a little indie flick), Get Smart, Hancock, Wall-E, The Dark Knight and Space Chimps. And of course now X-Files 2 is coming out… and some other things I want to see, like the Clone Wars. It’s been a summer of movies!