Chocolate Nutella Cake

Make this gluten-free chocolate Nutella cake with step-by-step instructions, a rich Nutella buttercream, and toasted hazelnuts. Soft, fudgy, and crowd-pleasing.

The first time I made a gluten-free chocolate Nutella cake for my sister’s birthday, I pulled it out of the oven and immediately panicked—the center looked sunken and wet. I almost threw it out.

Turns out it just needed three more minutes. That one near-disaster taught me everything I needed to know about timing this cake correctly, and now it comes out right every single time.

Can anything beat the combination of deep cocoa and hazelnut chocolate in one rich, fudgy slice? This gluten-free chocolate Nutella cake is the answer when you need something truly special—without the wheat.

Well… once you taste that Nutella buttercream draped over a moist chocolate crumb, you’ll understand why this one disappears fast at every gathering.

Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Chocolate Nutella Cake

• Texture that surprises: The crumb is tender and fudgy—not the dry, crumbly result many gluten-free cakes are known for.
• Beginner-friendly: One layer, one bowl for the batter, straightforward steps. No advanced baking skills needed.
• Naturally adaptable: Easy to make dairy-free with a few simple swaps, and kid-approved every time.
• Occasion-ready: Elegant enough for dinner parties, simple enough for a Tuesday night treat.

The Secret to Perfect Gluten-Free Chocolate Nutella Cake

• A 1:1 baking blend with xanthan gum: Xanthan gum mimics the binding role of gluten, preventing the crumb from falling apart. Without it, you get cake-shaped rubble.
• Creaming butter and sugar for a full 5 minutes: This builds structure and traps air, giving the cake lift without gluten’s natural elasticity.
• Buttermilk added in alternating batches: Alternating wet and dry prevents overmixing, which can make gluten-free batters gummy and dense.
• Room temperature ingredients throughout: Cold butter or eggs won’t emulsify properly, leading to a broken batter and uneven bake.

Ingredients

Chocolate Nutella Cake

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Gluten-free all-purpose flour blend	1¼ cups	Use a 1:1 baking blend with xanthan gum already included
Granulated sugar	1 cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder	⅓ cup	Also used to dust the pan
Baking soda	1 teaspoon
Baking powder	½ teaspoon
Salt	½ teaspoon
Unsalted butter, softened	6 tablespoons	Room temperature
Nutella or gluten-free chocolate-hazelnut spread	3 tablespoons	Always verify your brand is labeled gluten-free
Large egg	1	Room temperature
Vanilla extract	½ tablespoon
Buttermilk	1 cup	Room temperature

Nutella Buttercream

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Powdered sugar	1¼ cups
Unsweetened cocoa powder	3 tablespoons
Unsalted butter, softened	½ cup	Room temperature
Nutella or gluten-free chocolate-hazelnut spread	¼ cup
Vanilla extract	½ teaspoon
Salt	⅛ teaspoon
Cold heavy whipping cream	1 tablespoon	Add more ½ tablespoon at a time if needed
Toasted hazelnuts, whole or lightly chopped	½ cup	For topping

Instructions

Make the Cake

1. Preheat and prep your pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack in the center. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment, then lightly dust the sides and bottom with unsweetened cocoa powder. Tap out any excess.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and noticeably increased in volume. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Beat in Nutella. Add the Nutella and beat for another 1–2 minutes, until smooth and fully incorporated.
5. Add egg and vanilla. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat for about 1 minute, until fully combined and the batter looks glossy.
6. Alternate dry and buttermilk. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and buttermilk in alternating batches—beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix only until the batter is just combined; do not overmix. Scrape the bowl between additions.
7. Fill the pan and smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula for an even bake.
8. Bake. Bake for 30–40 minutes. Start checking at the 30-minute mark. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs—not wet batter.
9. Cool in pan, then turn out. Remove from the oven and run a thin knife around the edges. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Make the Nutella Buttercream

1. Beat the butter. Beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes, until it looks smooth and lighter in color.
2. Add Nutella, vanilla, and salt. Add the Nutella, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat for 1–2 minutes, until fully blended.
3. Mix in cocoa. Add the cocoa powder and beat on low speed until absorbed and no streaks remain.
4. Add powdered sugar in halves. Add half the powdered sugar and beat on low until absorbed. Scrape down the bowl, then add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
5. Stream in the cream. Slowly pour in the cold heavy cream while mixing on low. Continue mixing until the buttercream is creamy and fluffy—it should spread like velvet.
6. Adjust consistency if needed. If the frosting feels too stiff to spread, add another ½ tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
7. Knock out the air bubbles. Fold the buttercream gently with a spatula a few times to remove excess air bubbles and create a smooth, silky texture.

Assemble the Cake

1. Frost the cake. Place the completely cooled cake on a serving plate. Spread the Nutella buttercream evenly over the top.
2. Add the hazelnuts. Sprinkle the toasted chopped hazelnuts around the outer edge for a classic, elegant finish.
3. Slice and serve. Slice into 10 pieces and serve at room temperature for the best texture and flavor.

Make It Your Own

If you need a dairy-free version, swap the butter with vegan butter sticks (not spread) and use full-fat coconut milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar in place of the buttermilk. The tang of the coconut buttermilk works beautifully with the cocoa.

You know… not everyone has hazelnuts on hand, and that’s perfectly fine. Toasted pecans or walnuts give a slightly different but equally satisfying crunch on top. Almonds work too, though they’ll add a milder flavor contrast.

Want to stretch this into a layer cake? Double the recipe, bake in two 9-inch pans, and add a layer of Nutella buttercream in the middle. It becomes the kind of showstopper you’d proudly serve at a Thanksgiving table.

For a lighter finish, skip the buttercream and top the cooled cake with a simple chocolate ganache instead—equal parts warm heavy cream and chopped dark chocolate, stirred until glossy. The Nutella flavor from the cake itself carries the whole thing. If you love experimenting with chocolate-forward bakes, this chocolate zucchini muffin cake is another weekday-friendly option worth bookmarking.

Common Problems & Solutions

Problem: The cake sinks in the middle. Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer—many home ovens run hot or cold. Also make sure you’re not opening the oven door before the 30-minute mark, which causes the structure to collapse before it sets.

Problem: The crumb feels gummy after cooling. Gumminess in gluten-free cakes almost always means underbaking. The toothpick test matters here—if it comes out with wet batter (not just moist crumbs), give it another 3–5 minutes. Gluten-free batters can look set on top while the center is still wet.

Man, oh man… Problem: The buttercream is too soft and won’t hold its shape. This happens when the butter was too warm. Pop the whole bowl of buttercream into the fridge for 10–15 minutes, then re-whip. Adding the cold heavy cream while mixing also helps stabilize the texture.

Problem: The cake sticks to the pan. Dusting the pan with cocoa powder instead of flour is key here—it prevents sticking while keeping the exterior dark and chocolatey. Make sure you also run a knife around the edges before inverting. For more guidance on gluten-free baking behavior, the Celiac Disease Foundation’s trusted resource on gluten-free foods covers cross-contamination risks that can affect both flavor and safety.

Storage & Meal Prep

Method	Duration	Notes
Counter	2–3 days	Airtight container, away from direct sunlight
Fridge	5–7 days	Bring to room temperature before serving
Freezer	2–3 months	Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then foil

To reheat a slice from frozen, unwrap it and let it sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours. You can also microwave it for 20–30 seconds on low power—the buttercream will soften nicely without melting off completely.

Leftover buttercream keeps in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed container. Re-whip it briefly before spreading. It’s also excellent spread on these grated chocolate toasts with sea salt—zero waste, maximum flavor.

Chocolate Nutella Cake FAQs

Serving Suggestions

This cake tastes best served at room temperature, when the crumb is soft and the buttercream is spreadable as warmed honey. A scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside each slice makes it genuinely hard to stop at one.

It holds up beautifully on a dessert table at a Memorial Day cookout or as the birthday cake centerpiece—the toasted hazelnuts give it a finished, bakery-style look that gets noticed. Pair it with a pot of strong coffee or a cold glass of whole milk for the full effect.

If you’re building a spread, this gluten-free tomato tarte tatin makes a savory counterpart for a full gluten-free dinner party menu. For anyone who loves the science behind why these recipes work, the National Celiac Association’s authoritative gluten-free diet guide is worth a read.

Conclusion

This gluten-free chocolate Nutella cake is the kind of recipe you come back to—fudgy crumb, silky hazelnut buttercream, and a finish that looks far more involved than it actually is.

If you try it, leave a comment below letting me know how it went, and share any tweaks you made. And if you snap a photo, pinning it helps other gluten-free bakers find this recipe too—thank you for that.