I never remember the month of November. Other than the blips of Thanksgiving and my dear friend Julia’s birthday, I fail to recognize it as a legitimate month because it is so packed with exams and papers. It feels more like a week than a month.
When I saw my calendar for the month of November, I decided I want to splurge. I know those two items are totally related, but I am irrational when I am stressed out after all, first round of midterms have flowed right into the next round of midterms.
Some people go for the hot pink pedicure, but I go for the whole jar of Nutella. Both are illogical, but who can see those cute toes when it is rainy out? We all can better appreciate Nutella regardless of the weather whether that be by the spoonful or in this Nutella pound cake.
That brings me to this pound cake. For those of you who get dreams thinking about Nutella, this is the cake especially for you. Did I mention that a whole jar of dreams goes in? Yup, that is definitely the stuff dreams should be made of. None of these nightmares about revenue recognition criteria–just the dense, luscious goodness of a chocolate hazelnut spread :)
At least, that’s what I had thought.
I had envisioned it more like a richer, denser chocolate babka. Thus, after a week of dreaming about Nutella swirling around in my slice of breakfast pound cake, I was slightly confused when I cut open this pound cake and took a sample. There was actual disharmony of pound cake and Nutella! Those things should go wonderfully together in its outrageous richness, but alas, it was too much.
I thought the predominant egg taste clashed with the Nutella richness. (We are, after all, talking about four eggs here.) Maybe if the vanilla element was stronger to bring these two together, they would pair well. I am not really sure what went wrong, but I am having a bit of buyers’ remorse? Bakers’ remorse?
Maybe if you like the portability of Nutella and toast all in one, it’s good in a sticky, you-caught-my-hand-in-the-cookie-jar way. However, I can personally do without this pound cake, and I think others will agree with me on this too.
Nutella Pound Cake
Adapted from Lauren Chattman’s Cake Keeper Cakes (via Food and Wine‘s October 2009 issue)
Nutella-Swirl Pound Cake
(Makes one 9-by-5-inch loaf)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar (I used 3/4 c sugar)
One 13-ounce jar Nutella (I think you can get away with 1/2 of that if you don’t want such a strong Nutella presence)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour. In a glass measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer.
Spread one-third of the batter in the prepared pan, then spread half of the Nutella on top. Repeat with another third of the batter and the remaining Nutella. Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife. Do not overmix.
Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes (mine came out overbaked, so I would say 50-60 minutes), until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, turn it right side up and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut the cake into slices and serve.
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