This Nutella Crinkle Cake recipe combines the rich, creamy taste of Nutella with the light, flaky texture of phyllo dough. Each bite offers a mix of crunch and melt-in-your-mouth sweetness, making it an irresistible treat for Nutella lovers.
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This Nutella crinkle cake is perfect as a dessert for family gatherings, holiday celebrations, or special events like birthdays and anniversaries. The light, flaky layers make it an ideal treat for afternoon tea or as a sweet addition to a brunch spread.
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What is a crinkle cake?
A crinkle cake is a dessert famous for its distinctively crinkled surface. Its signature look is achieved through layers of phyllo dough that are folded repeatedly, producing a lightly wrinkled and flaky top. The delicate texture and appearance are the result of these multiple folds, giving the cake its characteristic crinkly finish.
Ingredients
Gather the following ingredients to make the Nutella Crinkle cake:
- Phyllo dough - 13 sheets phyllo dough (14" x 18" sheets). Defrost and bring to room temperature by following manufacturer's instructions.
- Unsalted butter - melt butter and allow it to cool slightly before using. The melted butter serves multiple purposes: it’s used to grease the cake pan, brush sheets of phyllo dough, and is poured over the cake after it has baked for a short time.
- Chocolate hazelnut spread - use Nutella or any other respected chocolate hazelnut spread (most often found in your grocer's peanut butter aisle)
- Hazelnuts - use toasted and chopped hazelnuts
- Heavy cream & eggs - bring to room temperature before starting recipe
- Granulated sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
Working with phyllo
The key to creating an excellent crinkle cake lies in how you work with the phyllo dough. Achieving that delicate, flaky texture depends on proper technique. Be sure to follow the guidelines below before diving into the recipe:
- Defrost phyllo: Follow defrosting instructions provided on the box of phyllo dough you've purchased. This usually involves taking the box out of the freezer and letting it thaw in the refrigerator for about four hours.
- Bring phyllo to room temperature: Take the phyllo dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the countertop for 2 hours. It's important that the dough reaches room temperature to ensure the best results.
- Prevent phyllo from drying out: Unroll phyllo onto a countertop. Immediately cover with plastic wrap, then place a damp towel over the plastic wrap. Keep the phyllo covered until you're ready to use it. When you need a sheet, uncover it, remove the sheet, and promptly re-cover remaining dough to prevent it from drying out.
Instructions
The baking process for this Nutella Crinkle Cake is a bit different from traditional cake baking. Here's a quick overview:
- First, the cake is assembled, baked for 10 minutes, and then removed from the oven.
- Next, melted butter is poured over the partially baked cake, which is then returned to the oven for another 10 minutes.
- After that, the cake is taken out again, and a custard sauce is poured over the top.
- Finally, the cake goes back into the oven for a third time and bakes until the custard is set, which takes about 25 minutes.
Step-by-step Nutella Crinkle Cake instructions
1 - Take one sheet of phyllo dough and place on a surface. Brush lightly with melted butter. Add another sheet of phyllo to the top of the sheet you just worked on. Brush lightly with melted butter.
2 - Carefully pick up both phyllo sheets and place in a springform pan greased with melted butter. Gently fold the ends hanging over the sides into the bottom of pan.
3 - Drizzle ½ cup Nutella on top of phyllo. Evenly sprinkle hazelnuts over Nutella. Set pan aside.
4 - Lay a sheet of phyllo on work surface. Drizzle approximately 1 ½ tablespoons Nutella along the short end of dough. Place another sheet of phyllo over top of sheet you just worked on.
5 - Starting with the short end of phyllo, begin creating an accordion shape. To do this take about 1 ½ inches of phyllo and gather it together using your fingers. Continue gathering until you reach the end of the dough. Note: create loose folds.
6 - Roll folded phyllo into a spiral shape and place in middle of pan over Nutella and hazelnut.
7 - Lay another sheet of phyllo on work surface. Drizzle approximately 1 ½ tablespoons Nutella along the short end of phyllo dough. Place another sheet of phyllo over top of sheet you just worked on. Fold into accordion shape. Lift folded phyllo and wrap around spiral already in pan. Repeat this four more times, filling the pan with dough.
8 - Bake the Nutella crinkle cake for 10 minutes at 350℉. Remove cake from oven and evenly pour remaining melted butter over cake. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes.
9 - While cake is baking baking, prepare custard by whisking together heavy cream, granulated sugar and eggs until well combined.
10 - Remove cake from oven and evenly pour custard over cake. Return to oven and bake an additional 25 minutes. Place on a wire cooling rack after baking. Cool for 2 hours, carefully remove from springform pan and place on a serving platter.
Equipment
You need the following equipment to make this Nutella crinkle cake recipe:
- Springform pan: use a 10" round pan. The removeable bottom makes for easy unmolding of the cake.
- Mixing bowls and measuring cups
- Pastry brush
- Hand whisk
- Pastry bag: optional for piping Nutella onto phyllo (you may also use a spoon and drizzle Nutella where needed)
Storage
This Nutella crinkle cake is best served the day you make it. Pressed for time? No problem! Assemble cake, cover in plastic wrap, place in fridge for up to 1 day and bake when desired.
This cake does not freeze well.
More chocolate hazelnut dessert recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you have a chance to make this Nutella Crinkle Cake recipe!
📋 Recipe
Nutella Crinkle Cake
Equipment
- 1 10" Springform pan
- Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Kitchen towel dampened to keep phyllo from drying out
- 1 Pastry bag optional
Ingredients
Pastry
- 13 Sheets Phyllo dough 14" x 18" sheets
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter Melted and cooled slightly
Chocolate Hazelnut Filling
- ¾ Cup Hazelnuts Toasted and finely chopped
- 1 Cup Chocolate hazelnut spread Nutella or other brand
Custard
- 2 Large Eggs Room temperature
- 1 Cup Heavy cream Room temperature
- ⅓ Cup Granulated sugar
Instructions
Defrost Phyllo Dough
- Defrost phyllo according to manufacture's instructions and bring to room temperature before using.
Preheat Oven / Prepare pan
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Generously grease inside of 10" springform pan with melted butter.
Line pan with phyllo
- Take one sheet of phyllo dough and place on a surface - be sure to replace the damp towel over remaining pieces. Brush lightly with melted butter.
- Add another sheet of phyllo to the top of the sheet you just worked on. Brush lightly with melted butter.
- Carefully pick up both phyllo sheets and place in prepared springform pan. Gently fold the ends hanging over side of pan into the bottom of pan.
- Drizzle ½ cup Nutella on top of phyllo. Evenly sprinkle hazelnuts over Nutella. Set pan aside.
Fold phyllo dough
- Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on work surface. Drizzle approximately 1 ½ tablespoons Nutella along the short end of dough. Place another sheet of phyllo over top of sheet you just worked on.
- Starting with the short end of phyllo, begin creating an accordion shape. To do this take about 1 ½" of phyllo and gather it together using your fingers. Continue gathering until you reach the end of the dough. Note: create loose folds.
- Roll folded phyllo into a spiral shape and place in middle of pan over Nutella and hazelnut.
- Lay another sheet of phyllo on work surface. Drizzle approximately 1 ½ tablespoons Nutella along the short end of phyllo dough. Place another sheet of phyllo over top of sheet you just worked on.
- Fold into accordion shape. Lift folded phyllo and wrap around spiral already in pan. Repeat this four more times, filling the pan with dough.
First Bake
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove cake from oven and evenly pour remaining melted butter over cake.
Second Bake
- Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes. While cake is baking baking, prepare custard by whisking together heavy cream, granulated sugar and eggs until well combined.
- Remove cake from oven and evenly pour custard over cake.
Third Bake
- Return to oven and bake an additional 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack.
- Optional: drizzle Nutella over warm cake and sprinkle with toasted hazelnut pieces.
- Cool for 2 hours, carefully remove from springform pan and place on a serving platter. Enjoy!
Video
Ben says
This is so good. I love all those flaky layers, and the Nutella is AWESOME.