INGREDIENTS:
- Cake
- 1 cup all-purpose four, plus more for pan
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground star anise
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- Ganache
- 1 cup hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS:
To make the cake, preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour a bundt cake pan.
In a medium bowl, sift flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, ginger, and star anise.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter and sugar and beat until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down sides of bowl between additions, until mixture is smooth. Add vanilla and stir to blend. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake cake until beginning to brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan on cooling rack. Turn out cake and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, to make the ganache, in a large bowl, add hazelnut spread, chocolate, and butter and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cream to a boil. Pour over hazelnut-chocolate mixture and stir until melted and smooth. Let cool slightly for 5-10 minutes. Pour over cooled cake.