Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Nutella-Swirl Pound Cake

Nutella swirl poundcake1I
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 poundcake CU


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.

14 comments:

Jessica said...

This looks amazing. I have never made poundcake, but I love it AND nutella. I am sure the combination is out of this world.

Phoebe @ GettingFreedom said...

Nutella is my new addiction--this is a must try!

TKW said...

My swirling skills suck. So do my folding skills. However, this cake looks a-ma-zing!

Megan said...

Ok - should I admit to have TWO of the industrial sized jars in my pantry?

Oh, and I'm making this cake stat - my husband is a Nutella freak!

Kim said...

HOLY MOLY- this is brilliant. I've never even thought of putting Nutella in cake, but of course! It's a match made in heaven.

Giovanna said...

Every Italian in my family has come out of the womb loving Nutella! I saw the commercial for it too and was a little disappointed cause I thought "oh no, this means the price will go up and it will be hard to find where I am" So the last time I went grocery shopping I bought 3 large jars of it.
Does that qualify me as a Nutella freak? Oh well!
: )

Lyndas recipe box said...

I haven't tried Nutella yet, but will now so I can make this pound cake. I LOVE pound cake! but I don't do swirls very well either.

krysta said...

i love this cake but like you if there is some left!

The Internet Cooking Princess said...

Um, wow. I have an unhealthy obsession with nutella...so I will definitely be trying this.

June said...

I discovered Nutella in France years ago...on baguettes, at the beach. I have been devoted to it ever since. I can't imagine how you would get it to swirl easily. Yours looks beautiful. You ROCK!

Ciao Chow Linda said...

I think your Nutella poundcake looks perfect. I've seen some that had a big "dip" in the center, but yours rose beautifully.

test it comm said...

That looks so good! I really like those thick veins of nutella!

Samhita said...

This is the first time I am making pound cake...and I hope it will turn out well! I didn't put too much nutella, afraid that it will mix and become a light brown (but delicious) blob. Very excited to see the final result!

Anonymous said...

Soften the nutella by setting the jar in a hot water bath
and it will spread more easily.