Hazelnut Cake with Just a Few Ingredients – Moist, Easy, and Naturally Sweetened

This moist hazelnut cake is proof that you do not need a long list of ingredients to create something truly delicious. Made with ground hazelnuts, eggs, and maple syrup, it has a wonderfully rich nutty flavor, a lightly crisp exterior, and a soft, tender center.

The best part? This flourless cake is made with only a handful of natural ingredients. As a result, it is not only easy to prepare but also provides more healthy fats, vitamin E, and fiber than many traditional sponge cakes.

Finished with dark chocolate and chopped hazelnuts, it is perfect for Sunday coffee, dessert, or a simple snack throughout the day.

Why You’ll Love This Hazelnut Cake

Some recipes look complicated but are not all that impressive. Then there is this hazelnut cake.

It requires only a few ingredients, minimal preparation time, and rewards you with an incredibly moist and flavorful result. Slightly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and packed with delicious hazelnut flavor. The kind of recipe you make once and then keep coming back to.

This hazelnut cake is also:

Gluten-free (if using gluten-free baking powder)
Flourless
Naturally sweetened with maple syrup
Wonderfully moist
Easy to prepare
Perfect for freezing

In short: a cake that tastes like it took much more effort than it actually did.

What Makes This Hazelnut Cake Special?

As a nutrition scientist, I love recipes that combine enjoyment with nutritional value. This cake does exactly that.

Hazelnuts provide healthy unsaturated fats, fiber, and vitamin E. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and helps protect cells from oxidative stress.

The eggs add high-quality protein and make the cake pleasantly satisfying.

Dark chocolate contributes not only rich flavor but also beneficial plant compounds that are naturally found in cocoa-rich varieties.

Of course, it is still cake. But it is a cake that offers a more nutrient-dense alternative compared to many traditional recipes made with refined flour and large amounts of sugar.

Perfect for Everyday Life

This hazelnut cake is ideal for:

Afternoon coffee or dessert
Meal prep
Birthdays
guests
A quick snack between meals

It keeps well in the refrigerator for several days and often becomes even more moist the next day.

My personal tip:

Enjoy a slice straight from the fridge. The chocolate topping becomes slightly firm and tastes almost like a combination of cake and praline.

Keto-Friendly Version

Would you like to make this hazelnut cake more keto-friendly?

Simply replace the maple syrup completely with allulose syrup and use sugar-free chocolate for the topping.

Since hazelnuts are naturally relatively low in carbohydrates, this recipe works particularly well as a low-carb alternative.

Longevity Tip

A longevity-focused lifestyle does not mean giving up dessert.

Instead, it is about choosing ingredients more often that provide both enjoyment and nutritional benefits.

Nuts are among the foods regularly consumed in many of the world’s Blue Zone regions. They provide healthy fats, fiber, and valuable micronutrients such as vitamin E, making them a great addition to a balanced diet.

That is exactly why I love this hazelnut cake.

It combines indulgence with nourishing ingredients and proves once again that the simplest recipes are often the ones we make again and again.

Here you can find more healthy cake recipes:

Easy Flourless Hazelnut Cake

This moist hazelnut cake is made with just a handful of simple ingredients. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup, flourless, and topped with dark chocolate, it is an easy dessert that is rich in flavor and perfect for any occasion. A keto-friendly option is included.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Course cake, Dessert

Cuisine german, healthy, plant-based

Servings 8 slices

Calories 260 kcal

Ingredients

Hazelnut Cake

2 eggs
150 g hazelnuts
100 g maple syrup (or a sugar-free alternative such as allulose syrup)
1 pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder

For the topping

Dark chocolate
A few chopped hazelnuts

Instructions

Grind the hazelnuts in a high-speed blender until you get a fine hazelnut flour.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the ground hazelnuts, maple syrup, salt, and baking powder, then mix everything until a smooth batter forms.
Pour the batter into a small loaf pan or an 18 cm (7-inch) springform pan.
If you have any batter left over, you can fill a few muffin cups as well.
Bake at 175°C (350°F) with top and bottom heat for about 25 to 35 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if the cake is done. Muffins will need only about 18 to 22 minutes, depending on their size.
Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely.
Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate either in the still-warm switched-off oven or over a double boiler.
Spread the melted chocolate over the cooled cake and sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts.
Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing. This makes it much easier to cut.

Notes

Optional Keto Version

Replace the maple syrup with allulose syrup and use sugar-free chocolate for the topping.

Keyword easy cake recipe, easy dessert recipe, flourless cake, gluten-free cake, grain-free cake, hazelnut cake, hazelnut dessert, healthy dessert, high protein dessert, homemade cake, keto-friendly, meal prep dessert, moist cake

Have You Tried This Hazelnut Cake?

Let me know in the comments how you liked it. 🙂 If you share your creation on Instagram, feel free to tag @annelinawaller and use the hashtag #annelinawaller.

I hope you enjoy every bite and have fun baking. 💛

All my love,
Annelina

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