A lot of steps go into putting this cake together but since it starts with a boxed cake mix, none of them is very difficult. All the effort goes into the creamy-crunchy filling, made from hazelnut brittle that is a delicious candy all on its own. It makes for a spectacular birthday cake.

　　

Ingredients

8 servings

　　

Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix and any additonal ingredients needed to make the cake

　　

Crunch

1 cup (about 4 1/2 ounces) hazelnuts, toasted and skinned (see Note, page 190)

　　2/3 cup granulated sugar

　　

Filling

2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

　　1 cup heavy cream

　　3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　

Topping

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

　　1 tablespoon granulated sugar

　　1 teaspoon grated orange zest

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans.

　　

Step 2

Prepare the cake mix according to package instructions. Divide the batter between the cake pans and bake as directed. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

　　

To Make the Crunch

Step 3

Place the toasted nuts close together in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to boil the mixture until the sugar is light brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the bubbles subside, then pour the caramelized sugar over the nuts. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and let the nut crunch cool until hard, about 30 minutes. When the nut crunch is hardened and cool, place it on a cutting board and cut into small pieces, saving a few larger ones for decoration. Set aside.

　　

To Make the Filling

Step 4

Put the mascarpone, cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream mixture to soft peaks. Fold the chopped nut crunch into the whipped cream.

　　

To Make the Topping

Step 5

Place the chocolate chips, granulated sugar, and zest in a food processor. Process the mixture until the chocolate is finely ground.

　　

To Assemble the Cake

Step 6

Put 1 cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Top with a 1-inch layer of the whipped cream–hazelnut crunch filling. Place the second layer of cake on top of the first and frost the entire cake with the remaining filling. Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with the ground chocolate topping and add some shards of nut crunch as decoration. Serve.

　　Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.