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This hazelnut log cake features a moist chocolate and hazelnut sponge cake, covered in decadent dulce de leche and Nutella cake cream. A Ferrero Rocher lover’s dream!

Ferrero Rocher Cake Roll on a long rectangular plate

Does nothing bring you as much joy as unwrapping a Ferrero Rocher candy? Well, there’s something even better in store for you. This hazelnut log cake is packed full of chocolate and hazelnuts and laced with a ribbon of Ferrero Rocher candies. Get ready to fall in love.

Love the Ferrero line of chocolates? You’ve got to try our Raffaello Cake Roll as well. Hello, coconut and almond heaven!

The Secret to a Perfect Roll Cake

If making a cake roll intimidates you, rest assured. In this recipe, you’ll employ the tried-and-true towel trick to get a perfect roll. By laying the towel on top of the cake right after it comes out of the oven and using it as an aide to roll, you’ll skip out on cracked cake and make a log cake so perfect it will be worthy of any bakery case. 

Overview on Making a Hazelnut Log Cake

​To make a hazelnut log cake, you need to whip up homemade sponge cake and homemade dulce de leche and Nutella cake cream.

  • Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Make the Cake Batter: Using a stand mixer, whisk the eggs with sugar at high speed until the mixture doubles in volume and turns into a meringue. In a different bowl, sift the all-purpose flour and cocoa powder. In thirds, fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture with a spatula. Lastly, stir in some of the crushed hazelnuts.
  • Bake the Cake: Next, spread the cake batter onto a prepared jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper. Bake the cake for 12 minutes.
  • Roll the Cake: Take the cake out of the oven, lift it out of the baking sheet by the parchment paper, and place it on top of a kitchen towel. Starting from the shorter end, roll it up into a log and cool it to room temperature.
  • Make the Cake Cream: In the bowl of stand mixer, beat the unsalted butter, dulce de leche, and Nutella hazelnut spread together.
  • Soak the Cake: Whisk the heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk together. Unroll the cake and drizzle the cream mixture over it. Allow the cake to soak for a few minutes.
  • Assemble the Log Cake: Spread a bit of the cake cream on the inside of the roll. At one of the ends, line up the Ferrero Rocher candies. Sprinkle some of the crushed hazelnuts over the top and roll the cake up. Frost the top and side of the log with the remaining cream and sprinkle the hazelnuts on top.
  • Decorate the Cake: Melt the chocolate in the microwave and place it in a piping bag. Drizzle the chocolate ganache over of the cake with it and top the cake with halved Ferrero Rocher candies. Refrigerate the cake to allow it to set. Enjoy!
Hazelnuts being mixed into the cake batter in the mixing bowl
Batter in a long thin rectangle taken out of the baking pan
Crea mixture in a mixing bowl with a spatula in it
Cream spread on the inside of the roll and the ferrero candy layer out in a row on one side of the cake
Hazelnuts pieces spread on top of the cream on the roll
Cream spread on the sides and top of the rolled up roll and hazelnuts being placed on the top of it

3 Tips for the Perfect Hazelnut Log Cake

A handful of helpful tips will help you knock this chocolatey hazelnut cake out of the park.

  • Don’t over mix the cake batter. To keep the consistency of the cake light and spongey, make sure that you don’t over mix the cake batter. Once the ingredients are well-incorporated, leave them be!
  •  Roll the cake while it’s still hot. Roll the cake immediately after it comes out of the oven to prevent it from cracking. The hotter it is, the more malleable it is. If you let it cool down too much, it’s more prone to breaking!
  • Let the cake set in the refrigerator overnight. For best results, allow the cake to set int the refrigerator overnight. This will help it develop not only it’s flavors, but also help it keep its shape.   
Ferrero Rocher Cake Roll side view

Storage Best Practices

To keep the hazelnut log cake on hand for up to a week, store it in an airtight cake container made especially for cake rolls. This will prevent the cake from absorbing any lingering smells in your refrigerator, while also preventing it from getting damaged.

FAQ

Can you roll a hazelnut log cake without a kitchen towel?

While we recommend that you enlist the help of a kitchen towel or tea towel to help you roll the hazelnut log cake, experienced roll cake makers often just rely on parchment paper. That said, we find using a kitchen towel yields a smaller margin of error.

Should you eat a hazelnut log cake hot or cold?

Hazelnut log cake is best eaten cold or at room temperature. This gives the cake time to set, hold it’s texture, and develop its flavors.

Do you need a jelly roll pan to make hazelnut log cake?

A jelly roll pan is just a deeper baking sheet and makes for a thicker cake layer. Feel free to get one or simply us a standard, rimmed baking sheet.

What kind of flour should you use for hazelnut log cake?

Regular, all-purpose flour is recommended for making hazelnut log cake. Cake flour is much too fine to get the nice spongey texture you want for the cake.

What’s the difference between a kitchen towel and a tea towel?

A kitchen towel is thick and is typically used for cleaning, while a tea towel is thinner and used for baking. While you can use either to make this hazelnut log cake, a tea towel is a bit more flexible and easier to work with.

More Log Cake and Jelly Roll Recipes to Try

Recipe

Ferrero Rocher Cake Roll on a long rectangular plate

Hazelnut Log Cake (Ferrero Rocher Inspired)

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Servings
10 Servings
Prep Time 40 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
This hazelnut log cake is packed with hazelnuts, decadent dulce de leche & Nutella cake cream, and everyone’s favorite candy – Ferrero Rocher. Yum!

Ingredients

Cake

Cream

Decoration

US Units – Metric

Instructions

Baking the Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and gather all the ingredients.
    4 bowls on the table one with crushed hazelnuts, one with sugar, one with flour and the last one with eggs, also a jar of Hershey's cocoa
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture doubles in volume.
    Whisked eggs and sugar in a bowl
  • In a separate bowl, sift the flour and cacao powder.
    Sifted flour and cocoa being mixed together with a whisk
  • In thirds, use a spatula to fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, being extra careful not to over-mix the dough.
    Flour mixture being hand mixed in with a spatula into the eggs and sugar mixture
  • Stir in 3/4 cups of the crushed hazelnuts. Spread the cake batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (10in. X 15in. is the ideal size). Bake the cake for 12 minutes.
    Batter spread on a baking pan
  • Remove the cake from the oven. Lift the cake up by the edges of the parchment paper and place it on top of a kitchen towel. Starting with either shorter end of the cake, roll it up into a log. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature.
    Batter in a long thin rectangle taken out of the baking pan

Making the Cake Cream

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, dulce de leche, and Nutella together until the ingredients are well-combined. Set the cake cream aside.
    Dulce de leche, butter and nutella all placed into one mixing bowl
  • Combine the heavy whipping cream with the sweetened condensed milk. Unroll the cake and spread the sweet cream mixture over the cake and allow it to soak for a few minutes.
    Condensed milk in the spray bottle being drizzled on the cake as it is being unrolled
  • Spread 3/4 of the cake cream on to the inside of the roll. At one of the edges, assemble the Ferrero Rocher candies side by side.
    Cream spread on the inside of the roll and the ferrero candy layer out in a row on one side of the cake
  • Spread 3/4 of a cup of the crushed hazelnuts over the cake cream. Roll the cake back up and frost the outside of the cake with the remaining cake cream. Sprinkle the rest of the hazelnuts on top.
    Hazelnuts pieces spread on top of the cream on the roll
  • Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stirring it every 10 seconds until silky and fully melted. Place the chocolate in a piping bag and drizzle the cake with it. Slice the wrapped candies in half and decorate the top of the cake with them.
    Ferrero Rocher Cake Roll on a long rectangular plate
  • Let the cake set in the refrigerator overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature and enjoy!
    Ferrero Rocher Cake Roll side view
Nutrition Facts
Hazelnut Log Cake (Ferrero Rocher Inspired)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 800 Calories from Fat 531
% Daily Value*
Fat 59g91%
Saturated Fat 33g165%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 19g
Cholesterol 173mg58%
Sodium 69mg3%
Potassium 388mg11%
Carbohydrates 60g20%
Fiber 5g20%
Sugar 44g49%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 1197IU24%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 125mg13%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted June 1, 2022

About Author

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Natalya Drozhzhin

Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.