Nutella-Swirl Pound Cake

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Let me just start off by saying, my swirling skills are not up to par.

I'm not a good swirler, and in my defense, Nutella is not easy to swirl.

The stuff is thick! Delicious, melt-in-your-mouth, decadently thick, but oh so not swirable.

At least not for me.

When I first saw this recipe in Food & Wine Magazine, my heart lept. I love Nutella. I've been eating it since I was a little kid, before it was oh so fashionable. I even saw a commercial for it. I was shocked. The only place we could find Nutella in the past was up on "the hill", a section of Providence with an Italian market. Now you can buy it at any megamart. I actually buy mine super-sized at my local warehouse store. No little jars in this house.

My kids have been bringing Nutella sandwiches to school since they were in kindergarten. I can't tell you how many Mom's I turned on to Nutella after their kids saw my kids sandwiches and begged them to buy some.

I'm a regular Nutella pied piper.

So this recipe called to the Nutella lover in me. My kids and their friends all had a slice after school with a big glass of milk, happily licking the gooey chocolate from their fingers and claiming it "great!".

I'm saving my slice to eat with a hot cup of tea later, if there's any left.

If you make this, and your swirls come out better than mine, let me in on your swirling secrets please.

Nutella-Swirl Pound Cake
Recipe from Lauren Chattman – Food & Wine Magazine Oct. 09
Printable recipe
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more dusting
4 large eggs, at room temp
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 – 13 ounce jar of Nutella

Preheat the oven to 325. Lightly grease and flour a 9 x inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour. In a glass measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 ½ cups of flour with the baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer at medium-low speed gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer.

Spread 1/3 of the batter in the prepared pan, and then spread half of the Nutella on top. Repeat with another 1/3 of the batter and the remaining Nutella. Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife. DON’T OVERMIX!

Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, and then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut into slices and serve.

Can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days.