First Place Winner: Robin Liebold, of Warminster

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Coffee Cream Filling

Ingredients for the cake:

2 cups boiling water

1 cup cocoa powder

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter room temperature

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease, flour and line with parchment three 8-inch round cake pans.

Pour the boiling water over the cocoa powder and stir well until smooth and set aside to cool.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, sift or stir well.

Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on high speed until well combined.

Add the vanilla and then the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is smooth and light.

Add the flour mixture in four batches, beating well after each addition only until the flour disappears.

Add the cocoa mixture in three batches, beating just enough after each addition to combine everything into a smooth, luscious batter, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Divide the batter among the three pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cakes spring back when touched lightly in the center and are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pans.

Cool the cakes for 10 minutes with pans on wire racks. Then turn them out onto the wire racks to cool completely.

Ingredients for the Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting:

1 1/2 cup unsalted butter

6 cups confectioners sugar

3/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons chocolate hazelnut spread

1/3 plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon or taste of salt

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth about two minutes. Add sugar, chocolate, Hazelnut spread and vanilla and beat on low speed 30 seconds, then increase to medium high speed and beat for full 2 minutes.

Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners sugar if too thin or another tablespoon cream if too thick.

Ingredients for the Coffee Cream Filling:

4 teaspoon instant coffee granules

4 tablespoons heavy cream

3 cups confectioners sugar

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir the coffee granules into the cream until dissolved.

Beat together the sugar and coffee mixture until smooth and a spreadable consistency, adding more cream if necessary.

To Assemble:

Place one cake layer on plate and spread a thin crumb coat layer of the hazelnut frosting on top, then spread about half of the coffee cream on top. Place second layer on top and repeat.

Place third cake layer on top and cover entire cake with the chocolate hazelnut frosting.

Decorate with any remaining frosting and coffee filling.

Store in refrigerator.