These Giant Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Mousse Cakes are spectacular. Extra-large chocolate shells studded with hazelnuts enclose alternating layers of moist chocolate cake and a silky hazelnut-chocolate mousse.
Happy World Nutella Day! I look forward to this food holiday every year and have gradually built a small collection of Nutella-inspired desserts. This year I wanted to go big—literally—so I made giant Ferrero Rocher–style cakes. These take the candy’s familiar exterior and scale it up into an indulgent, shareable mousse cake.
Ferrero Rocher chocolates are tiny treats with a wafer shell, hazelnut cream, and a whole hazelnut in the center, all covered in a bumpy, hazelnut-studded chocolate coating. They’re utterly delightful and alarmingly addictive—which is partly why I wanted to make a supersized version. My creations are about five inches wide, each serving two to four people depending on appetite.
These look like giant Rochers, but the interior is a bit different. Instead of a single pool of hazelnut spread, I filled the spheres with alternating layers: three layers of moist chocolate cake and three layers of hazelnut-speckled chocolate mousse. The finished result is rich, textural, and balanced—the shell provides a satisfying crunch while the cake and mousse inside are soft and luxurious.
Making these takes time, but the techniques are straightforward. You will prepare chocolate half-spheres in molds (or shallow spherical cake pans), bake a sheet of chocolate cake, and make a stabilized hazelnut mousse. Assembly involves cutting cake circles to fit the molds, layering mousse and cake, sealing the halves with melted chocolate, and finishing the outside with chopped toasted hazelnuts suspended in chocolate coating to recreate the classic bumpy Ferrero Rocher texture.
Equipment matters. Spherical chocolate molds make unmolding much easier, but shallow metal half-sphere cake pans can work in a pinch. Use a candy coating for the shells if you prefer to avoid tempering chocolate; candy melts set reliably and simplify the process. If you do want the sheen and snap of real chocolate, tempering is recommended for the best finish.
Once assembled, brush the outside of each sphere with melted chocolate mixed with coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts to mimic the original candy’s nut-studded coating. For presentation, wrap each cake in gold foil and place it in a large paper baking cup. The foil and cup make them look like oversized candies and are great for gifts or a stunning dessert table display.
These cakes keep well in the refrigerator: the chocolate shell helps prevent the cake from drying out and the mousse keeps the interior moist. Properly wrapped, they can be stored for several days or up to a week chilled. They are an impressive make-ahead dessert for parties, holidays, or any celebration where you want a show-stopping chocolate-and-hazelnut treat.
More Layer Cakes You’ll Love
- Rocky Road Layer Cake
- Chocolate Orange Cake
- Mint Chocolate Chip Layer Cake
- Piñata Cake
- Cookies and Cream Cake
- Agate Cake
Giant Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Mousse Cakes
Prep: 6 hrs • Cook: 15 mins • Total: 6 hrs 15 mins • Yields: 5 cakes (about 16 servings)
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- 6 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4.75 oz granulated sugar (about 2/3 cup)
- 5 oz brown sugar (about 2/3 cup packed)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz buttermilk (1 cup), room temperature
- 4 oz sour cream (1/2 cup), room temperature
- 2 tbsp water or brewed coffee
- 7.8 oz all-purpose flour (1¾ cups)
- 3 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (1 cup)
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
For the Chocolate Shells and Assembly
- 2 lbs chocolate candy coating (candy melts)
- 4 oz toasted hazelnuts, skinned and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 4″ spherical chocolate molds or 4″ half-sphere cake pans
For the Hazelnut Mousse
- 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- 12 oz heavy cream, divided use
- 11 oz Nutella (about 1 cup)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin (about 2½ packets)
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 oz toasted hazelnuts, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
Instructions
To Make the Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed 18×13-inch sheet pan with parchment or foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Beat butter with both sugars in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix in vanilla.
- Whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, and water (or coffee). In a separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
- With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry mixture and the liquid in thirds, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape the bowl and finish mixing by hand. Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake about 15 minutes, until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.
To Make the Chocolate Shells
- Ensure molds are clean and dry. If using metal pans, a very light rub of nonstick spray may help release the shells.
- Melt 1 lb of the candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds. Let it cool slightly until still fluid but a bit thicker.
- Spoon chocolate into molds, swirl to coat sides and bottom, then invert to let excess drip back. Place molds upside down on parchment and chill in the refrigerator about 15 minutes, then freeze 2–3 minutes to firm up so the shells release easily.
- Gently flex molds to remove half-spheres. If a shell cracks, patch with melted coating and re-chill. Make 10 half-spheres total for five assembled cakes, plus extras in case of breakage.
To Make the Hazelnut Mousse
- Combine chopped chocolate, 3/4 cup cream, Nutella, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
- Bloom gelatin by whisking it with the cold water and letting it absorb. Microwave gelatin briefly (about 15 seconds) just to melt, then whisk into the cooled chocolate mixture.
- Whip the remaining 1¼ cups heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold half into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remainder. Fold in the chopped hazelnuts. Use immediately—the mousse will begin to set.
To Assemble
- Cut cake rounds to fit the bottom of a chocolate half-sphere. Press a cake round into the shell, add a layer of mousse, then cut and press a larger cake round on top. Trim as needed so the top is level with the shell.
- In a second half-sphere, reverse the order so each assembled ball will contain alternating layers of cake and mousse when joined. Heat remaining chocolate coating and brush a thin layer around the rim of one half to “glue” the halves together. Place the assembled balls in a muffin tin or similar support to keep them stable while assembling others.
- Warm the remaining coating if needed and stir in the coarsely chopped hazelnuts. Brush this nut-studded chocolate over the shells to create the bumpy exterior. Chill about 15 minutes, then turn the spheres and coat the bottoms. Chill again to set.
- Wrap each finished cake in gold foil and set in a paper baking cup for presentation. Refrigerate; they keep well for several days and up to a week when well wrapped.
Notes
The chocolate cake is adapted from a classic chocolate cupcake recipe. Using candy coating simplifies shell making because it sets reliably without tempering. If you prefer real chocolate, temper it properly for the best finish and stability.
This recipe yields five roughly 5-inch Ferrero Rocher–style cakes.
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