Ingredients
- For the sponges:
- 375g caster sugar
- 240g unsalted butter, softened
- 120ml sunflower or vegetable oil
- 75g hazelnut paste or hazelnut butter (if you can’t get hold of it, make your own by blending toasted hazelnuts to make a paste)
- 6 eggs
- 2tbsp coffee extract
- 1tbsp coffee liqueur
- 375g self-raising flour
- Pinch of salt
- 3tbsp milk
- For the buttercream:
- 375g unsalted butter, softened
- 675g icing sugar, sifted
- 2tbsp hazelnut paste or hazelnut butter
- 2tbsp milk
- ¼tsp salt
- 1tbsp coffee extract
- For the praline:
- 100g caster sugar
- 100g toasted hazelnuts, chopped
For the sponges:
1 Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, or 160 degrees if using a fan oven. Grease and line three 20cm round cake tins with greaseproof paper.
2 In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and soft. Add the oil and hazelnut paste and mix well. Add the eggs one by one and mix until well incorporated. Add the coffee extract, coffee liqueur, sift in the self-raising flour, and add the salt and milk. Fold through until just combined.
3 Divide the batter between the prepared cake tins and bake for 20 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for five minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the buttercream:
1 Beat the soft butter and half of the icing sugar together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the remaining icing sugar, followed by the hazelnut paste, salt, milk and coffee extract. Set aside until ready to ice the cake.
For the praline:
1 Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
2 Put the sugar into a medium saucepan and place over a medium to high heat. Swirl the saucepan until the caramel has reached a dark golden brown, taking care to ensure it does not burn.
3 Remove the pan from the heat and add the chopped hazelnuts. Stir the hazelnuts through the caramel until they are fully coated and tip the nuts out onto the parchment paper.
4 Leave to cool completely.
To assemble:
1 Spread some of the buttercream on the first sponge. Repeat with the remaining two sponges, then coat the outside of cake with the remaining buttercream, reserving a few tablespoons for the topping.
2 Pipe or spoon a few swirls of the remaining buttercream on top of the cake. Roughly chop the hazelnut praline and sprinkle on top of the cake before serving.
