The Nutella Challenge: Nutella S'mores Cake

Welcome to Chocolate Friday!  Another week almost done; another chocolate reward deserved - LOL!

I actually got a head start on my monthly Nutella Challenge post (have you checked out all the fabulous Nutella recipes linked up at bell' alimento?)  - so unlike me except for the fact that I just baked it and still have to take pics for this post and it's after 10pm!  I made the challenge so easy on myself this time - it's almost cheating.  I already have a S'mores Cake recipe that I like and my family prefers Nutella on our s'mores instead of plain chocolate so...I thought maybe I could just substitute Nutella for the hot fudge topping in the recipe.  Excellent decision if I do say so myself!

Nutella S'mores Cake

(adapted from a Betty Crocker recipe)

1 package yellow cake mix

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 1/4 cups water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 jar (13 oz.) Nutella

1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease bottom only of 13x9 in. pan with shortening or cooking spray.

2.  In large bowl, beat cake mix, cracker crumbs, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds.  Beat on medium speed 2 minutes.  Pour into pan.

3.  Reserve 1/4 cup Nutella.  Drop remaining Nutella by tablespoonfuls randomly in 12-14 mounds onto batter in pan.  Use knife to swirl Nutella throughout batter.

4.  Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake.  Cool 15 minutes.

5.  Spoon teaspoonfuls of marshmallow creme onto warm cake; carefully spread with knife dipped in hot water.  Drop small dollops of reserved Nutella randomly over marshmallow creme.  Swirl Nutella through marshmallow creme with knife for marbled design.  Cool 2 hours.  Store uncovered at room temp.  (Once cut, store cake in pan, uncovered, with plastic wrap pressed against cut sides.)  When cutting cake, dip knife or server in hot water before cutting each piece to keep frosting from sticking.

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How does that sound?  Now one thing that I realized (after I made the cake of course!) is that the Nutella acts much different in the cake than hot fudge topping.  Hot fudge topping spreads out and sinks to the bottom.  Nutella remains in clumps unless you spread it out and it does not sink to the bottom.  My solution is to swirl the Nutella through the batter so you have even Nutella flavor throughout.  My cake had giant clumps of Nutella that surprised me in the middle of my piece of cake (not that I'm complaining about that - LOL).

OK - time for your chocolate posts!  I know you've got chocolate somewhere on those blogs - find it and link it up!  If you don't have a blog, you can always share some chocolate wonderfulness in the comments.  It doesn't matter if you call it chocolate, chocolat, cioccolato, Schokolade, or chocolade - we just want you to share it!  :) 

Have a fantastic Friday!

I'm linking this up to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam (lots of yummy recipes there) and to Do It Yourself Day at A Soft Place to Land (lots of fun projects to check out)!