In This Article
Hazelnut Cake is a celebration of the quiet richness found in simple, whole ingredients.
Ground nuts, golden honey, and fresh eggs come together to create a cake that is both humble and deeply satisfying—rooted in traditions where sweetness comes from the land itself and every element serves a purpose.
Hazelnuts have long been treasured in mountain and forest regions, offering nourishment through the colder months and lending their warm, earthy flavor to cherished seasonal foods.
This hazelnut cake honors that heritage, relying on the natural oils and delicate texture of the nuts to create a tender crumb without the need for refined flour.
Gently sweetened and layered with applesauce, this dessert invites a slower kind of enjoyment—one that reflects the rhythms of harvest, the abundance of local ingredients, and the simple pleasure of sharing something handmade.
Whether served at a gathering or enjoyed with a quiet cup of tea, it offers a taste of enduring tradition and heartfelt nourishment.
Hazelnut Cake Ingredients
12 ounces hazelnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 cup chunky applesauce, unsweetened
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. I grew up using olive oil and corn flour to grease and flour pans.
- Pour 12 ounces or 12 heaping handfuls of shelled hazelnuts into a food processor or spice grinder. Grind the hazelnuts until very fine.
- Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whip the egg yolks, honey, and applesauce together until smooth.
- Beat in the ground hazelnut mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Quickly fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture, then add the remaining whites and fold in until no streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 60–75 minutes, or until the cake springs back when you tap it. Cool it on a wire rack.
- When the cake is cool, slice it horizontally into 2 layers. Spread the applesauce between the layers and reassemble the hazelnut cake. If you would like, you can decorate the top with a thin layer of jam and sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top.
Tip: Serve with espresso after a Sunday meal.
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Well Being Journal adapted this excerpt from The Culinary Pharmacy: Intuitive Eating, Ancestral Healing, and Food Sovereignty by Lisa Masé. Copyright © 2023 by Lisa Masé, reprinted with permission from Healing Arts Press, a division of Inner Traditions International.
