This rich and decadent Nutella Crunch Cake is easy to make, super moist, and topped with an irresistible Nutella crunch (that you’ll want to snack on all on its own)! I make this recipe as a sheet cake, and it’s the perfect dessert for parties!
I don’t know about you, but we never get tired of cake around here. Or Nutella, for that matter. Which is why today I’m sharing a sheet cake recipe that combines both of these things into slices of pure chocolate hazelnut bliss.
It’s no secret that a sheet cake is one of my favorite things to bake. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time in the day for frosting and stacking layers, while praying that the top layer isn’t crooked. A sheet cake is forgiving. It’s cake in its simplest form: fuss-free, one-tier, and ultra-delicious!
This Nutella cake recipe transforms your favorite boxed chocolate cake mix into a ridiculously moist and rich dessert. Oh and did I mention the easy, irresistible hazelnut crunch topping that you’ll be tempted to eat before it even touches the cake? Just making sure!
Why This Nutella Cake Recipe Works
I could talk about how much I love this Nutella crunch cake for hours! For today, though, here’s a brief overview:
- Perfect texture. Every bite of moist, fudgy chocolate cake paired with the crispy, crunchy hazelnut topping is heavenly. You won’t be able to get enough!
- Quick and easy. You can prep this cake in 20 minutes, and have it out of the oven in under an hour. It won’t take you long at all.
- Nutella! I mean, who doesn’t love Nutella? Personally, I could eat it right out of the jar. But, it’s in every aspect of this cake too, so that’s even better!
Looking for more poke-cake-style desserts? Try this Coconut Poke Cake or this Chocolate Poke Cake next!
What You’ll Need
Alright, let’s round up what we’ll need to make this Nutella cake happen! If you’re looking for precise quantities for each ingredient, check out the recipe card below.
For the Cake
- Chocolate Cake Mix: I doctor up a classic chocolate box cake mix with a few extra additions to really kick the taste and texture of this sheet cake up a notch.
- Egg: Adding in an extra egg to the box cake mix helps it set up nicely and hold its shape.
- Water: To add extra moisture to the cake batter.
- Instant Chocolate Pudding: Chocolate pudding brings an insane amount of moisture to the cake mix for a dense, fudgy texture that stays soft after baking.
- Nutella: The feature ingredient in this recipe! You’ll need Nutella for the cake and the crunch, as well as for the sweet topping that gets poured over the cake. Of course, you don’t need to use the brand Nutella specifically – you can use your favorite chocolate hazelnut spread, too.
For the Topping
- Nutella & Condensed Milk: Use the sweetened kind of condensed milk, to be combined with Nutella and poured over the top of the baked cake.
For the Crunch
- Hazelnuts: Chopped raw hazelnuts really bring out the sweet nutty crunch in the cereal layer. You’ll be roasting them in the oven to get the flavors nice and toasty. Use either salted or unsalted depending on preference.
- Nutella & Chocolate: Chopped semi sweet chocolate is melted together with butter and Nutella in a chocolatey coating for the crunch layer.
- Butter: Unsalted and salted butter both work here.
- Rice Krispie Cereal: Crispy rice cereal is the base for the Nutella “crunch” topping.
How to Make Nutella Crunch Cake
Thanks to the chocolate cake mix, this Nutella crunch cake is almost IMPOSSIBLE to mess up. The cake is baked and then covered in a silky condensed milk topping, followed by a layer of sweet Nutella crunch. All the layers are super easy to make! Here’s how to do it (note that you’ll find the full set of directions in the recipe card):
- Make the crunch. Start by lightly toasting hazelnuts. While they’re cooling down, melt your chocolate and butter, and stir in the Nutella. Toss in your toasted hazelnuts and Rice Krispie cereal to coat. Spread the crunch out on a lined baking sheet and place this in the freezer to set.
- Make the cake. Mix up your cake mix according to the package instructions. Stir in the pudding mix and additional cake ingredients, then pour the batter into a pan and bake until it’s set (about 30 minutes).
- Add the topping. Once the cake is done, you’ll poke holes all over the top while it’s still warm. Heat up a simple mixture of sweetened condensed milk and Nutella, and then pour this over the cake.
- Add the crunch. Give the topping a few minutes to cool, then sprinkle your Nutella crunch mix evenly over the top of the cake. Pop the whole thing in the fridge and let all the flavors marinate in their Nutella-ness for at least an hour.
- Then Serve! And I’m not going to discourage a test slice. Go ahead. No one at the party will mind if the sheet cake has a piece missing. Right?
Tips for Success
- Use room temperature ingredients. Bringing your butter and egg to room temperature before you start will help them combine more thoroughly in the batter.
- Don’t over-mix the cake batter. Make sure to only mix the cake batter and add-ins until they’re just combined. This will keep the final baked cake soft and tender, and not tough or chewy.
- Make the crunch ahead. You can actually make the crunch way in advance, which will cut down on the time you spend putting the rest of the cake together. Just keep it in the freezer and then let it thaw out a little in the fridge while the cake is baking.
Serving Suggestions
This Nutella crunch cake is fabulous served on its own, but there’s always room for toppings. I love to enjoy my slices topped with a dollop of whipped cream. It also tastes extra indulgent with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or raspberry sorbet! Here are some other ideas to inspire you:
- Add berries. Another way to serve it is to top your cake slices with fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.).
- Add other fruit. You can even top your Nutella cake with banana slices for a banana nut crunch cake!
- Pour on some chocolate or caramel sauce. Of course, you can always give your cake a drizzle of chocolate sauce or caramel sauce for good measure. Try this Quick and Easy Caramel Sauce, or go all out with my homemade Nutella Hot Fudge Sauce!
How to Store Extra Cake
This cake will keep for up to 3 days when stored airtight in the refrigerator. After that the Rice Krispie topping loses its crunch! Also, I like to let the slices sit out at room temperature for a bit before I serve them.
Can I Freeze This Crunch Cake?
You can definitely freeze this sheet cake, although I’d recommend freezing the baked cake before you add the condensed milk and crunch topping. This is because the crispy rice cereal tends to get mushy after it’s thawed. Once the Nutella cake has cooled completely, store it tightly wrapped or in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months.
Defrost the cake in the fridge, then let it come to room temperature before you add the condensed milk topping, followed by the nutella crunch.
More Easy Nutella Desserts
If you love this Nutella cake, you’ve got to try some of these other easy Nutella desserts!
Nutella Crunch Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 36 minutes
- Total Time: 56 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Nutella Crunch Cake is easy to make, super moist, and topped with an irresistible Nutella crunch! This decadent sheet cake is perfect for parties and more.
Ingredients
Crunch
- 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
- 3 ounces chopped semi sweet chocolate
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup Nutella
- 4 cups Rice Krispie cereal
Cake
- 1 chocolate cake mix (prepared according to package directions with the following ingredients added)
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup water
- 1 (3-4 ounce package) instant chocolate pudding
- 1/2 cup Nutella
Topping
- 1/2 cup Nutella
- 1 (14 ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
Crunch
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread your hazelnuts evenly onto the pan.
- Bake the hazelnuts for 6 minutes until lightly golden in color. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool, saving the lined pan for later use.
- Combine the chopped chocolate and the butter in a large heat safe bowl and microwave in 30 seconds increments, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Add in the Nutella and stir until smooth and finally the hazelnuts and the cereal, coating it int he chocolate mixture.
- Spread the mixture out on the parchment lined pan and freeze it until it’s set, about 15 minutes. This can be made up to a few days in advance.
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C
- Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Prepare the chocolate cake according to the package directions but add in the additional egg, ¼ cup water, dry chocolate pudding mix and ½ cup Nutella. Using your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds and then turn mixer up to medium and mix for an additional 3 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted int he center comes out clean.
- When the cake is done remove it from the oven and in a medium heat safe bowl combine the sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 cup Nutella. Heat for 30 seconds in the microwave and stir until it’s combined and smooth. Using a knife poke holes all over the top of the cake while it’s still very warm. Pour the sweetened condensed milk mixture all over the cake evenly.
- Allow this to sit for 10 minutes and then top with the Crunch mixture. Allow the cake to chill for at least an hour before serving.
Notes
- To store. Store airtight for up to 3 days refrigerated. I like to let the cake come up to room temperature before serving.
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To freeze. You can definitely freeze this sheet cake, although I’d recommend freezing the baked cake before you add the condensed milk and crunch topping. This is because the crispy rice cereal tends to get mushy after it’s thawed. Once the Nutella cake has cooled completely, store it tightly wrapped or in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake in the fridge, then let it come to room temperature before you add the condensed milk topping, followed by the Nutella crunch.
What is your preferred cake mix for these easy recipes and can you substitute another nut for hazelnuts like pecans or walnuts or leave the nuts out???