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Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake

Inside this supremely moist Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake is a ribbon of rich, creamy Nutella. So good!

Overhead view of sour cream bundt cake with Nutella ribbon on plate with fork

Sour Cream Bundt Cake with Nutella Swirl

This Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake is an oldie but a goodie from the archives of one of my favorite magazines, Cooking Light. The cake itself is soft, moist, and delightfully nutty thanks to the addition of toasted hazelnuts, but what really makes it special is the ribbon of Nutella running through the center.

Not only is the ribbon delicious (I mean, how could it not be?), it also adds some visual appeal—cut into the cake and it’s hard not to ooh and ahh over each slice! And the good news is that even if you’re a novice baker, you can nail this Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake because it’s so simple to make. 

Whether you make it for breakfast, dessert, or a snack in between, this bundt cake is sure to be a hit!

overhead view of ingredients for Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake

What You’ll Need

Here’s everything you’ll need to make a moist, tender sour cream bundt cake.

  • Dry breadcrumbs – Surprised? I was too, but it works! This cake uses breadcrumbs instead of flour to keep the cake from sticking to the pan.
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Granulated sugar
  • Unsalted butter – Let the butter sit at room temperature for about half an hour to allow it soften.
  • Eggs – Your eggs should be room temperature for best results.
  • Vanilla extract
  • Fat-free sour cream
  • Chopped hazelnuts
  • Chocolate-hazelnut spread – Nutella is the most popular brand, but don’t be afraid to give another a try!
  • Confectioners’ sugar

What Does Sour Cream Do in Cake?

The sour cream makes this bundt cake moist and tender without thinning the batter by introducing extra liquid. It’s pretty magical! I also use sour cream in my Sour Cream Pound Cake and Sour Cream Banana Coffee Cake recipes.

How to Toast Hazelnuts

You can toast the chopped hazelnuts on a large sheet pan in a 350ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes, watching them closely to prevent burning. Or, you can toast the nuts in a skillet set over medium heat, which allows you to keep a closer eye on them. They’re done when they’re lightly browned and fragrant.

How to Make Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake

As mentioned above, this cake is sweet and simple! Here’s how to make it.

Overhead view of bundt cake pan greased and dusted with breadcrumbs

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray, then dust it with breadcrumbs. Tap out any excess crumbs.

Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Overhead view of cake batter in glass bowl

Mix the wet ingredients. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream the sugar and butter until they’re light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and sour cream.

Overhead view of bundt cake batter in glass mixing bowl

Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, beating until just combined.

Overhead view of Nutella dropped on bundt cake batter in pan

Assemble. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan, and spread it evenly over the bottom. Sprinkle the hazelnuts over the batter, then drop small spoonfuls of the Nutella over the nuts. Spoon the remaining cake batter over the Nutella and use a knife to swirl the batter and Nutella.

Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Half of a Nutella bundt cake on cutting board with pieces of cake in foreground

Cool and finish. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. (Learn more: Why Every Baker Needs Wire Cooling Racks.) Carefully remove the cake from the pan and let it finish cooling on the wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, then serve.

Should You Let a Bundt Cake Cool Before Flipping It?

Yes! The cake will continue to bake from the residual heat of the pan, so it’s not just about cooling. Your cake is more likely to come out in one piece with that resting time, so don’t skip it.

Tips for Success

Make sure you read over my tips for baking Bundt cakes before making this recipe. Here are some additional tips:

  • Measure accurately. Use a scale to measure by weight if possible. Otherwise, use the spoon and sweep method to avoid over-measuring. Learn more: How to Measure Flour.
  • Don’t use a dark-colored pan. Dark pans tend to cook the outside edges faster, leaving the center under-baked.
  • Thoroughly grease the pan. I recommend a cooking spray with flour, like Baker’s Joy or Pam for Baking. If you don’t usually get things mixed quickly, you may want to wait to spray the pan until you’re ready to add the batter. That will keep the spray from settling at the bottom of the pan.
  • Use fat-free sour cream. This is one of the few times I will recommend not using full-fat sour cream in baking! This recipe is designed to use the fat-free version. 
Overhead view of bundt cake on cutting board with four slices

How to Store

Wrap the cake or transfer it to an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 4 days. 

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Let it thaw at room temperature overnight before serving.

slice of Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake on a beige plate

Find more Bundt cake recipes in the Recipe Index.

More Nutella Recipes

Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake

Yield 12-16 servings
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

That ribbon of Nutella running through this Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake makes it irresistible!

sliced Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake on a wooden cutting board

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon dry breadcrumbs
  • 2 & 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 & 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 16 ounces (454g) fat-free sour cream
  • 1/4 cup (44g) chopped hazelnuts, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons chocolate-hazelnut spread (like Nutella)
  • confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Dust with breadcrumbs.
  2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and sour cream.
  4. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
  5. Transfer half of the batter into the prepared pan, and spread evenly. Sprinkle evenly with the hazelnuts.
  6. Drop the chocolate-hazelnut spread by small spoonfuls on top of the nuts.
  7. Spoon the remaining cake batter over the chocolate-hazelnut spread. Using a knife, swirl the batter and Nutella.
  8. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, remove the cake from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.

Recommended Products

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    25 Comments on “Sour Cream Hazelnut Bundt Cake”

  1. Well, if it’s from Cooking Light, it must be good for you! It sure looks good!

  2. Great. I need more of these yummy treats that have fewer calories 🙂

  3. I actually had this recipe bookmarked a month or two ago but haven’t gotten around to making it. I hate it when you have recipes stockpiled up! But after seeing your pictures and hearing how you enjoyed it, this recipe just got bumped up in the que 🙂

  4. there’s just something about a picture of half-melted chocolate that makes me smile. of course, i’d prefer to be biting into said chocolate…

  5. Gorgeous shot! Hazelnuts and chocolate speaks of comfort to me. Your blog is very much about that. I love it!

  6. Fabulous image! I too have long given up on Cooking Light, thanks for the renewed interest. So, I wouldn’t be actually ruining my soon to be diet if I ate this morning, noon and night huh? If it works for you, it will work for me.

  7. My goodness, Jen. I can’t keep up with you – this is just fingerlicking!

  8. I visit CL BB every day and never came up with recipe. I’ll have to try it. I’m sure everyone will enjoy.

  9. Kitt, it is the best of both worlds. Delicious and light.

    RecipeGirl, don’t we all?

    amanda, I have so many recipes in my “to make” list. It’s really an unsurmountable task, but I keep trying to whittle away at it.

    grace, I agree. Chocolate is great; gooey chocolate is fantastic.

    Aran, thank you so much!

    Kim, I don’t know about the morning, noon, and night part, but I ate it once a day without the guilt.

    Thanks, Patricia!

    Helene, I hope you like the cake!

  10. This too funny! I just renewed my subscription of Cooking Light after many years of avoiding them. Mostly because I could not get the recipes to work for me. But your lovely bundt cake has renewed my faith in Cooking Light again. Yummy cake!

  11. Gigi, what a coincidence! I hope you have good luck with the recipes.

  12. That looks so good! I like the hidden surprise on the inside!

  13. Thanks, Kevin! Nutella and hazelnuts are my kind of surprise.

    Sandie, I’m still looking for a good Nutella brownie recipe. Good luck with your search!

  14. I have not renewed my subscription in years as my mother in law buys me the annuals but there are 2 cakes I make all the time from CL. On is a blueberry and cream cheese pound cake and the other is a apple cider cake, really good and moist! Spread the love darling with chocolate and hazelnuts, spread the love…I am all ears!

  15. Sour cream makes cakes exceptionally moist. My mom has a fool-proof blueberry and sour cream cake that I just love. This recipe sounds fantastic to me.

  16. Tartelette, both of those cakes sound delicious! I don’t get the annual recipes from them, although I’ve been seriously tempted. I’m sure you don’t have to worry about any shortage of chocolate and hazelnut coming from me. I can’t seem to help it!

    S, I agree about the sour cream. It just does something magical to cakes. That blueberry and sour cream cake sounds wonderful!

  17. Yum it looks so good and I can’t believe its light.

  18. Thanks, Katie! It certainly doesn’t taste “light,” either.

    • Hi Jennifer. Can one use full fat/ yoghurt in place of the low fat sour cream. low fat sour cream can’t be sourced out here 

      • Hi, Charmaine. I’ve not tried that, so I can’t say for sure how well it would work. Generally, yogurt is a good substitute for sour cream. Low-fat sour cream may have more liquid than a full-fat yogurt, so keep that in mind if your batter seems dry. You might need to add a splash of water or other liquid.

  19. LOVE Cooking Light. And your blog!

  20. Hello, again! Do you remember that I left you a comment in another post, about substituting non-fat sour cream with non-fat yogurt? I think that question was from a year ago! Well, I finally found something that is more or less like non-fat sour cream, and made this cake. WHAT A GOOD IDEA!!!! The texture and flavor are just insane, and that Nutella in the middle is just perfect. I only wish my stomach were bigger, so as not to share it with anyone else!

    • That’s great, Kendall! What did you use?

      • I used something called fresh whipped cheese. I was sceptical about it, then I opened the tub, and the texture was just like that of sour cream. The only ingredients were skim milk and cultures. I live in Spain, and you can buy sour cream here (they call it crème fraiche, like the French stuff), but I’d never been able to find the fat-free variety. I was extremely pleased with the outcome, and I can’t wait to make this cake again!

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