Kinder Bueno Cake

4.88 from 16 ratings

This Kinder Bueno cake tastes just like our favorite candy bar! Its shortbread crust, moist chocolate cake layers are filled with a fluffy hazelnut filling and chocolate buttercream!!

Prep Time30

Cook Time28

Additional Time2

Total Time2 58

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24

Calories: 858kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Hazelnut Mousse Cake Filling

1 1/3 cups good quality white chocolate chips 215g
1 1/2 cups heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold - divided 360ml
1/2 cup Hazelnut Paste or Nutella 140g
1/4 cup powdered sugar 30g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4ml
pinch fine salt less than 1/8 tsp

Shortbread Base

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 339g
3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
3/4 cup powdered sugar 95g
1 tsp fine salt 6g

Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 325g
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 500g
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 100g
2 1/2 tsp baking powder 10g
2 tsp baking soda 12g
1 tsp fine salt 6g
1 1/4 cup water, warm 300g
1 1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature 300g
2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 145g
3 large eggs, room temperature 168g
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g

Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream Frosting

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 452g
1/2 cup unsweetened natural baking cocoa, sifted 50g
1/2 cup Nutella 140g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
6 cups powdered sugar 750g
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 120g

Cake Filling and Decoration

1/3 cup Nutella, warmed 94g
6 full sized Kinder Bueno Bars, roughly chopped
32 Mini Kinder Bueno bars

Recommended Tools

8- inch cake pans
Spinning cake stand
10- inch greaseproof cake board
Large offset spatula
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Icing Comb

Instructions

Hazelnut Mousse Cake Filling

Make the mousse filling first so that it has time to set.
Add 1 1/3 cups of white chocolate chips and 1/2 cup heavy cream in a medium-sized, heat-proof bowl. Heat for 60-75 seconds in the microwave, then let the mixture sit for a minute. Stir until combined with a rubber spatula. The white chocolate should be completely melted, and the mixture should be smooth. If you don't have a microwave, you can also use a double boiler.
Mix 1/2 cup of hazelnut paste or Nutella into the white chocolate cream mixture and stir until combined. Set aside.
Add 1 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of fine salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment.
Mix on medium-high speed until the whipped cream starts to gather in the whisk attachment and you can see texture around the edges of the bowl. The whipped cream should be thick and able to keep its shape. This usually takes about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes in my stand mixer.
Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the white chocolate cream mixture using a rubber spatula. Use the spatula to swoop around the sides of the bowl and pull through the center with each pass. Fold in the remaining half of the whipped cream. Be careful not to over-mix the mousse, or it will become deflated and lose its structure.
Cover the mousse with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.

Shortbread Crust

Next, work on the shortbread crust. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Spray 3, 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray, then line with parchment rounds.
Use a fork or pastry cutter to combine 1 1/2 cups softened butter, 3 cups flour, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1 tsp fine salt. It should form a slightly crumbly dough once combined.
Divide the dough into three equal portions and press them into the bottom of the prepared pans with your fingers to create an even layer.
Prick the crust thoroughly with a fork, then bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to brown. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool and keep the oven.
Chocolate Cake Layers
Sift or whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup cocoa powder, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl.
Add 1 1/4 cups warm water, 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 2/3 cup oil, 3 eggs, and 2 tsp vanilla into a separate large bowl and whisk together until combined.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until they're incorporated, and the batter is smooth.
Pour the batter evenly between the prepared pans on top of the baked shortbread crusts. Bake for about 28-32 minutes in the preheated 350 F / 175 C or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Remove the cake layers from the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Gently run an offset spatula around the rim of the cake pans to loosen them, then carefully flip them into wire racks to finish cooling. Leave the parchment rounds underneath each crust to help keep it intact.
Once cooled, use a serrated knife to level the top of each cake layer. If you are making these cake layers in advance, wrap and freeze them at this point. These can be made up to a month in advance.

Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream Frosting

Next, make the chocolate hazelnut buttercream. Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.
Add in 1/2 cup Nutella, 1/2 cup sifted cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Slowly mix in 6 cups of powdered sugar. Halfway through, add in 1/2 cup of heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
Mix on a low speed until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent crusting and set aside.

Assembling This Kinder Bueno Cake

Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board or a flat plate, using a dab of chocolate buttercream to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
As you assemble the cake, pipe a ring of chocolate buttercream around each cake layer. Spread about 1/3 of the hazelnut cake filling inside the buttercream ring. Top with 2 roughly chopped Kinder Bueno bars.
Repeat with the remaining cake layers. Smooth any overhanging buttercream around the cake with a large offset spatula. Then chill the cake for about 10 minutes in the freezer or 30 minutes in the fridge. This will help the filling between the cake layers firm up and make the cake easier to frost.
Spread a thick layer of chocolate buttercream around the cake and smooth using a bench scraper or icing comb. Press a row of mini Kinder Bueno bars around the base of the cake.
Place 1/3 cup of Nutella in a small piping bag and heat in the microwave for 15-20 second, or until it's a thinner consistency. Drizzle over the top of the cake.
Use the leftover buttercream to pipe swirls on top of the cake (I used an Ateco 828 piping tip, but any open star tip will work great). Top each swirl with a mini Kinder Bueno bar, then enjoy!

Video

Notes

My Tips for Making the Best Kinder Bueno Cake

Ingredients at room temp mix together better! Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.

Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level). Or better yet, use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Use a scale to weigh your cake pans as you fill them. Make sure each pan has the same amount of batter will make your cake layers bake to the same heigh and bake more evenly.
Level your room temperature or thawed cake layers with a serrated knife to make them easier to stack.
Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. It makes it so much easier to stack and frost them!

Making This Kinder Bueno Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
Make your chocolate frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. This frosting can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months! Just be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to make it nice and smooth again.
A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer up to a month. If you freeze the cake, transfer it to the fridge the night before you plan to eat it. This will help it gradually thaw and minimize any temperature shock. Remove the cake from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to cut into it.

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