Hazelnut Gianduja Cherry Cake — six rich layers of morello cherry chocolate cake filled and frosted with hazelnut gianduja Swiss meringue buttercream.
I baked this Hazelnut Gianduja Cherry Cake for the Dude’s birthday in December. I admit I mixed up the date and celebrated late — with candles, champagne and extra buttercream to make up for it. He prefers savory snacks, but I was determined we would have cake. I imagined extravagant toppings like chocolate-dipped potato chips or salted caramel popcorn, but in the end I kept the design elegant and focused on flavour.
Chocolate, hazelnut and cherries are a classic combination, and I wanted to avoid artificial-looking bright red cherries. Instead I used morello-style cherries soaked in liqueur — the dark, tart fruit that actually tastes like cherries. These particular cherries had been soaked in an orange-flavoured liqueur, which added a lovely fragrant note and balanced the richness of the chocolate and gianduja.
The inspiration came from pairing those cherries with homemade gianduja when I first made bonbons. That pairing translated beautifully into a layered cake: moist chocolate cake brushed with cherry juices, stacked and frosted with a silky Swiss meringue buttercream enriched with melted gianduja. The result is decadent but balanced, with nutty warmth, dark chocolate depth and a bright cherry finish.
Morello cherries — not those neon impostors
Morello cherries — not those neon impostorsWhen possible, choose real sour cherries or morello cherries preserved in good-quality liqueur or juice. They provide acidity and brightness that cuts through the richness of the cake. If you can, warm a portion of the cherries and use both fruit and juice to brush the cake layers; this deepens the cherry flavour throughout.
About gianduja
Gianduja is a traditional Italian blend of hazelnut paste and chocolate with a high percentage of nuts. Compared with mass-market chocolate-hazelnut spreads, authentic gianduja has a richer, more balanced nut-to-chocolate ratio and a smoother, more delicate mouthfeel. If you can source good-quality gianduja in blocks, use that; it melts and blends into buttercream beautifully. If you need to substitute, you can use another nut spread, but expect a different flavour and texture.
For the buttercream in this cake, melted gianduja is folded into a Swiss meringue buttercream, creating an ultra-silky frosting that holds its shape for piping while remaining smooth on the palate. The technique for Swiss meringue requires clean, grease-free equipment and patience while the meringue is whipped to glossy stability before the butter and gianduja are added.
I’ve included the full recipe and method below so you can recreate this cake at home. The components are straightforward: a chocolate cherry cake, a cherry puree to brush the layers, and a gianduja Swiss meringue buttercream. Take your time with the buttercream — it’s worth it.
Hazelnut Gianduja Cherry Cake
Ingredients
- 360 grams granulated sugar
- 100 grams bread flour
- 100 grams cake/pastry flour
- 73 grams cocoa
- 7 grams baking powder
- 6 grams baking soda
- 2.5 grams salt
- 2 eggs
- 185 ml milk
- 93 ml vegetable oil
- 8 grams pure vanilla extract
- 188 ml pureed cherries and juices for brushing cake warmed
- 120 grams liquid egg whites
- 180 grams granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
- 340 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 300 grams gianduja melted
Method
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 6-inch pans, brush with cake release, and place them on a cookie sheet. Set aside.
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Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
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In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the wet ingredients, except the cherry puree.
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Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined; the batter will be thick.
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Stir in the warm cherry puree until fully incorporated.
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Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
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Bake for 25–30 minutes on the middle rack. Rotate the cookie sheet halfway through baking for even colour.
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Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Level and torte the layers. Brush each layer with warmed cherry/cointreau juices if desired.
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Roughly chop the gianduja and place it in a small bowl. Melt it over a pot of simmering water and set aside to cool slightly.
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Ensure your mixing bowl, whisk and utensils are completely grease-free by wiping with lemon juice or vinegar; any grease will prevent the meringue from whipping properly.
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Set a pot with simmering water and place a bowl over it (bain-marie). Add the egg whites, sugar and a pinch of salt to the bowl and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F.
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Dry the underside of the bowl and transfer it to a stand mixer. Whip the meringue on medium-high until thick, glossy and no longer warm to the touch.
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With the mixer on low, add room-temperature butter in cubes, one at a time, until incorporated. Increase speed as needed and continue until the texture is silky.
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Slowly pour the melted gianduja into the buttercream while mixing on low, blending until smooth and well combined.
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Brush each torted layer with the warmed cherry/cointreau juice.
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Place a smear of buttercream on a cake board slightly larger than the cake to secure the first layer, then pipe and spread a generous layer of buttercream. Repeat with remaining layers.
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Crumb coat the assembled cake, chill 15–30 minutes, then apply a final coat of buttercream and smooth.
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Pipe small dollops around the top and, if you like, press a few edible gold flakes or decorations into the frosting. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Using a cake board slightly larger than the cake helps you apply an even coat of buttercream and makes moving the cake easier.
