Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Bread
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A delicious whole grain loaf cake packed with hazelnuts, chocolate, and flavored with orange – what is there not to love? And this Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Bread gets a DOUBLE dose of yummy hazelnut flavor for an irresistible treat that is sure to become a favorite!
Here’s something to tempt your taste buds and spark your creativity in the kitchen. Imagine a moist, golden brown loaf cake, its aroma rich with the nutty warmth of hazelnuts, the decadent allure of chocolate, and the bright, citrusy tang of orange zest. It’s made with whole wheat flour or spelt, bringing an earthy depth and wholesome twist.
Growing up in Germany I’m very accustomed to baking with hazelnuts. A lot of traditional German cakes and pastries use them and their flavor is very nostalgic to me. After I moved to the U.S. I soon realized that they’re relatively uncommon here. Hazelnuts are often overlooked in favor of their more famous cousin, almonds, but hazelnuts are something special and bring a toasty richness that’s unmistakably cozy (check out my Hazelnut Shortbread cookies.) They also pair seamlessly with chocolate (think Nutella) and the two are a perfect match for a number of baked goods. I wanted to create something original that featured hazelnuts and chocolate and so back in 2013, just a few months after launching my website, I developed this hazelnut loaf cake that features chocolate, orange, and is made with whole grains that contribute a wonderful earthiness. This cake also gets a double dose of hazelnut flavor between the ground hazelnuts and the hazelnut oil. Each slice of this hazelnut bread is a harmonious blend of nutty warmth, heavenly chocolate, and sunny zest — a combination that feels like a big comforting hug.
Storage
To keep the cake moist, store it in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months and let it thaw at room temperature. Heating it up briefly in the microwave will make it taste like it came straight from the oven!
Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Bread Recipe
Let’s get started!
Grind the hazelnuts (use raw hazelnuts for maximum flavor). Or buy pre-ground hazelnut meal. For optimal flavor toast the ground hazelnuts in the oven. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and brown sugar. Cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, hazelnut oil, and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
Zest the orange. Add the zest and buttermilk and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and use a rubber spatula to combine the mixture. Some lumps of flour will remain and that’s okay. Use the rubber spatula to fold in the ground hazelnuts.
Next, prepare the topping & swirl mixture. Chop the hazelnuts. Combine the chopped hazelnuts with the chocolate chips, brown sugar, and flour. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan. I used Fat Daddio’s pan for this – great pan!
Spread 2/3 of the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle evenly with half of the topping & swirl mixture. Add the remaining batter on top. Spread the batter out evenly using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle with the remaining topping & swirl mixture.
Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean but moist. Be careful not to over-bake or the cake will be dry. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, slice the loaf and serve.
Enjoy!
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Orange Chocolate Hazelnut Bread
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons hazelnut oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup ground hazelnuts or hazelnut meal/flour
- 2 cups whole wheat or spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- For Topping & Swirl Mixture:
- 1/3 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole wheat or spelt flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Add the eggs, hazelnut oil, and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the orange zest and buttermilk and beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined. Stir in the ground hazelnuts. Prepare the swirl mixture by combining all ingredients.
- Pour 2/3 of the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 of the swirl mixture. Pour the remaining batter over the top and spread with a rubber spatula to even it out. Sprinkle with the remaining swirl mixture and gently press it into the batter.Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean but moist. Be careful not to over-bake or the bread will be dry.Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.Slice and serve.
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 9, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
This was so delicious! I made it as written and used spelt flour (I love the flavor of spelt) and it turned out wonderfully. Just the right level of sweetness. I’ve never used hazelnut oil before but I bought a bottle of it to make this bread and I LOVE it. I look forward to using it in my salad dressings. Thank you for this scrumptious recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you so much Tina!
I am a hazelnut fan too. This bread looks out of the world fantastic. I would eat this all day until it was gone!
Thanks, Michelle! That’s what we did, too :)
Can we get this recipe in grams please?
Hi Diane, I’ve just updated it – you can now click on “metric” to the right of the list of ingredients and it will give you the measurements in grams. Happy baking! :)
Hi, just love the sound of all the ingredients and the look of the cake, absolutely amazing!! Can the hazelnut oil be substituted with anything else asits not available where I live ?
Thank you, Rita! The purpose of the hazelnut oil is simply to give it an extra hazelnut flavor boost. You can certainly omit it if it isn’t available and just substitute regular oil for added moistness. Happy baking!
Hi, I am a beginner, is that 1/3 of a cup of hazlenuts before they are ground or after? If it’s after how much hazlenuts should I use? Can I use hazelnut meal? I don’t have wholewheat flour so can I use selfraising or plain instead? Thankyou.
Hi Marie! For the cake batter it’s 1/3 ground hazelnuts and yes, you can absolutely use 1/3 cup hazelnut meal. Don’t use self-raising flour, but yes, you can use plain white flour. Happy baking!
OK, thankyou for replying Kimberly:)
I am going to try this recipe today, can’t wait!
I was wondering if this recipe could make muffins as well?if so, how long do you recommend cooking them so they don’t dry out?
Hi Melinda! I haven’t tried making muffins with this batter yet, but yes, it should absolutely work. I would increase the temperature to 375 F and bake (regular-sized) muffins for 18-22 minutes or so. Check after 18 by doing the toothpick test.
This looks amazing! I really must find some hazelnuts soon… bookmarking it now!
thanks!
felicia
Thanks, Felicia! I LOVE the flavor of hazelnuts in baked goods!
Magnificent, Kimberly! Lovely combination of flavors :) I wish hazelnuts weren’t so hard to find in this area. Great recipe!
Thank you, Michele! I love hazelnuts. They remind me a lot of Germany where they’re a staple in baked goods. And of course they’re an integral part of Nutella, which I can never resist ;)
This is the first time I’ve seen your website; & I can’t wait to try many of your recipes. They sound amazing. Will let you know what I think after I’ve tried some of them–this weekend!!
Maggie
Yayyy!! Maggie, I’m so happy you found my site and am really looking forward to your feedback! I hope you’ll be a regular visitor :)
Ohh I can’t wait to make this with my wee one looks scrummy xx
Thank you! Let me know what you and your little one think once you’ve both tried it! :)
What a great combination of flavors. I’ve never used hazelnut oil, I’m sure it adds a great depth of flavor. Looks delicious!
Thanks, Sherri! I had just used it for the first time in baking a few weeks ago when I made the Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies. I knew about using it for salad dressings, but I’m so glad I thought to try it in baking – it really does add a wonderful depth of flavor. Thanks so much for stopping by!
That looks amazing!! Will have to try it. What brand is the hazelnut oil? Thanks so much
Thanks so much for the compliment! The particular brand I used is Saveur, from France, because that’s what I happened to find in the store. There are cheaper hazelnut oil brands out there though that have just as good of reviews. I look forward to you giving this cake a try – let me know what you think when you’ve had a chance to make it!
I really like how you made it so easy to understand the recipe and the process. As soon as I saw the word chocolate in the title you had my attention. Your bread looks so perfect!
This is definitely something my family would love to eat
Thanks so much for the compliment, Megan! I would love to hear your feedback once you’ve had the chance to try it!