My cousin Linda absolutely made my day when she sent me our Oma’s recipe for Schoko-Nusskuchen along with the note “this is the cake Oma always baked for our Birthdays“. This simple little cake may not be a fancy Torte, but flavorwise, it packs an amazing punch…reminding me a lot of my favorite mid-day pick me up treat, a Hanuta. It’s Hazelnuts and Chocolate, so think Nutella flavor, but with crunchy nuts, semi-sweet chocolate, all baked into a moist cake. This cake will even convert the kids who claim they “don’t like nuts”. And those in your world who do like nuts will absolutely love this cake.
And yes, it may look humble, but serve with a schlag of whipped cream, and this simple looking cake can hold it’s own on any Kaffeeklatsch table.
Schoko-Nusskuchen Recipe
I did Americanize the cake recipe just a bit for you. You’ll notice that the measurements are in metric weights, as well as cups… honestly, memorizing the recipe in metric would be a snap! 300gr. 300gr. 300gr. (sort of the nutty version of a pound cake). Also, the original recipe calls for 2 100gr chocolate bars, one milk, one bittersweet, then chopped with a knife. I took the short cut of using Semi-Sweet chocolate and pulsing them in the food processor. Feel free to go back to the original.
The recipe calls for Hazelnuts, and since my grocery store sells them in the bulk bin, that’s what I used. I imagine you can substitute walnuts if you can’t find Hazelnuts. (If you try that, please let me know).
I sprinkle powdered sugar over the top to “decorate”, because that’s what Oma did. For even coverage, spoon the powdered sugar into a sieve, then shake the sieve over the cake. Want to dress it up a bit? Try drizzling the Schoko-Nusskuchen with a chocolate glaze, and sprinkle with a few chopped nuts.
Schoko-Nusskuchen
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 5 Tablespoons 300 gr Butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup 300 gr Granulated Sugar
- 5 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups 300 gr All Purpose Flour
- 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 2 cups 300 gr ground Hazelnuts
- 1 1/3 cup 200 gr Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips, chopped small or ground
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 º F
- Butter and Flour a standard sized Bundt Pan... set aside
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar at medium high speed until light and fluffy, around 4 to 5 minutes. Lower the mixing speed, then add the eggs, one at a time. Beat between each one. Scrape down the bowl. Add Vanilla extract, beat in.
- Combine the flour and baking powder, then, with mixer on low, add to the butter mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and continue to beat until the flour is completely mixed in.
- Either by hand with a spatula, or with a stand mixer on low, add the ground hazelnuts and chocolate. Stir until combined. (Don't miss the pockets of nuts at the bottom, you want to mix it all together evenly).
- Fill the prepared Bundt pan with the cake batter. It will be a little stiff, this is right. Smooth the top.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.
- Check at 55 by sticking a toothpick in, it should come out clean (except for a possible smear of melted chocolate)
- Remove the cake from the oven and leave to rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. This is important, it MUST sit for 10 minutes before inverting, or it will stick)
- Flip the cake out of the pan, then let cool completely
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar for serving.
Notes
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Prepare Schoko-Nusskuchen
Chop the nuts and chocolate. I pulse them in a food processor until they are chopped up.
Most of it is finely chopped, but I do leave some larger bits because I like the texture.
Spread the prepared batter into a Bundt pan that has been buttered and floured.
(My Oma would butter pans using the inside of the butter wrapper… works like a dream)
Leave the cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before turning out. (Seriously, don’t try sooner!)
Even after 10 minutes I had a little bit stick… no problem, I patched it up.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve
This cake slices really well
I saved a piece for you!
I am delighted to have found you and your recipes!
Hello,
y name is Charles, my friends call me Wolf. I have lived in Germany 4 times in my life. I grew up in Nurnberg, the first time I was there when I was a child. My step father was a US Army soldier stationed at Merrill Barracks, and I went to elementary school in Furth, then in Pastorias Housing. (My spelling may be off). The second time I was there, we lived in Friedberg 30km North of Frankfurt. We were stationed at Ray Barracks and I went to Junior High and High School there in Frankfurt. My 3rd time in Germany, I was then in the US Army, and I got stationed in Berlin at Turner Barracks on Hutenweg Strasse from 1985-1988. I got married there to my second wife and my daughter was born there in Berlin. The fourth and last time I was in Germany was in a small town not far from Frankfurt in 1990. Over all I have spent a little over a decade of my life in Germany and I loved every bit of it. I loved the people, the food, and all the places I have been too. When I was a kid, we did a lot of Volksmarching. To this day, my family is still in touch with a lot of our friends we made in Germany after almost 50 years. Germany is an awesome and beautiful place to live and visit. I loved all the small towns and the countryside.
Did you know you can do Volksmarching in the US now? https://germangirlinamerica.com/what-is-a-volksmarching/
I made this cake today, it was delicious, I had to cook it a little bit longer so I covered it with foil. I let it cool a good 15 minutes and it turned out of my bundt pan with no problem at all. Thank you for a beautiful cake.
I’m glad you like it!
I received this recipe from my mother in law 30 years ago, it is one of my favourites. I hate hazelnuts so I have substituted almonds, some ground and some slivered that I have chopped a bit with a knife. Sometimes I also make in a springform pan and top the batter with well drained morello cherries (from a jar). I also use about 250g butter which makes a bit lighter cake.
Ohhh! I love the idea of cherries. I will have to try that.
I make something similar with chocolate and a bit of Cognac- https://germangirlinamerica.com/german-sour-cherry-chocolate-and-cognac-gugelhupf-cake/
I will be making this.
Hi
What kind of nuts can I use instead hazelnuts? There are hard to find where I live.
Thanks!
I would assume that walnuts or pecans should work well.
I just made this delicious cake! I over baked it slightly, but the flavor is fabulous! Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you like it
cups here and teaspoons there… use real measurements and not that kind of moronic system!
Both measurements are listed. While I agree, metric is more accurate… in the US more people use cups.
Why would you post recipes that people can’t even print? Nobody has a desktop computer in the kitchen!!
THere is a printer icon in the upper left corner of the recipe block. It can be printed.