Giada De Laurentiis' Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Has a Secret Ingredient You'll Want To Put In Everything

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.

We’ve always known that chocolate and hazelnut are a divine pairing, but what we didn’t know about was the history of the flavor combination. Italian gianduja, chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella, ever heard of it?), was invented in the early 19th century, when Italy was forbidden from trading with Britain by Napoleon. That meant less chocolate to work with, and it was more expensive chocolate. Italian chocolatiers had a solution — add hazelnuts, abundant in areas of the county, to the chocolate. Thus a legendary flavor duo was born, and Giada De Laurentiis’ chocolate hazelnut cake is the perfect celebration.

A post shared by Giada DeLaurentiis (@giadadelaurentiis)

De Laurentiis’ chocolate hazelnut cake is dark, rich, and moist, thanks to two kinds of oil: olive oil, which you probably have on hand, and the secret ingredinet: hazelnut oil. If you’ve never used hazelnut oil before, you’re about to have a new culinary obsession. Not only does it add a deep hazelnut flavor to this cake, but it can be used in all sorts of sweet and savory applications. Add some in the place of regular oil when making cookies and cakes to give them a nutty flavor, drizzle over roasted veggies, soups, salads, or in pasta to add hazelnut fragrance and flavor to each bite.

Courtesy of Guido Gobino.

You can get imported Italian Guido Gobino Hazelnut Oil from the Giadzy shop. It’s a cold-pressed oil, unfiltered, made from Piedmontese hazelnuts. However, it’s a bit pricy. Luckily, we found some affordable alternatives on Amazon from both Roland and La Tourangelle. You can try it to see if you love it, and then splurge on the fancy bottle once you become as obsessed with it as we are.

Courtesy of Roland.

Courtesy of La Tourangelle.

The rest of the cake uses ingredients you probably already have on hand, like cocoa powder, milk, eggs, and chocolate chips. But don’t skip the hazelnut oil — it’s what makes this chocolate cake so special.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

Giada De Laurentiis Says Charcuterie Boards Are Out & Balsamic Tastings Are In