chocolate-hazelnut nutcracker cake

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While this delectable cake, filled and frosted with sweetened whipped cream, is appropriate any time of year, it was designed especially for the Christmas holidays—the “Nutcracker” of the title is a play on the hazelnuts, which are a key ingredient, and the popular ballet associated with the season.

The layers can be baked a day in advance, but the cake is best served the same day it is assembled. After filling and frosting, be sure to allow 6 to 8 hours for the flavors to meld and the cream to set up; otherwise, the dessert will be hard to slice. Leftovers returned to the refrigerator hold their flavor well for 2 or 3 days, but eventually, since the cake contains so little flour, it will soften to a pudding.

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MAKES A 9-INCH TRIPLE-LAYER CAKE; SERVES 16 TO 20
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of three 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper. Dust with flour; tap out any excess.
  2. Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet and toast for 10 to 12 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool completely. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
  3. In a food processor, grind the graham crackers to crumbs. Dump into a bowl and set aside. Without rinsing the processor, add the hazelnuts and ¼ cup of the sugar to the work bowl and pulse until the nuts are finely ground; do not overprocess to a paste. Add the nuts and grated chocolate to the graham cracker crumbs. Toss together well.
  4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the egg yolks and ½ cup of the sugar until well blended. Add the oil and vanilla and continue beating until a slowly dissolving ribbon forms when the beaters are lifted. Fold in the chocolate-nut-crumb mixture.
  5. Put the egg whites in a large, clean mixer bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar and continue beating on high speed until the whites form stiff peaks. Fold a third of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Using a sieve or sifter, dust the flour, pumpkin pie spice, and baking powder over the batter and fold in. Gently fold in the remainder of the egg whites just until no streaks remain; do not overmix. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared cake pans.
  6. Bake the cake layers for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick stuck into the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in their pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes; then turn out onto racks to cool completely, at least 1 hour.
  7. To assemble the cake, place a layer on a cake stand or serving plate, flat side up. Sprinkle with a third of the Rum Syrup and let it soak in for a minute or two. Spread ¾ cup Crème Chantilly over the layer, smoothing it right to the edge. Repeat these steps with the second layer. Finally, add the third layer, sprinkle it with syrup, and let it soak in as before. Spread the remaining Crème Chantilly over the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with chocolate curls.

BAKER’S NOTE