This may not be everyone’s cup of tea…for this is not your regular sweet tea cake! The whole grain Rye, molasses, cocoa and hazelnut work harmoniously to give this cake, nutty & earthy notes without being overly sweet. If dark chocolate and black coffee is your thing, then you are going to love this!
I have always been wanting to create a cake (bread) with 100% Rye. All the Rye cakes that I have come across have too little rye in the recipe and mostly around 10-50%. So I took the plunge and created my own, just the way I like. I know chocolate cakes are great with rye, so I went along the same line. Chocolate also works well with hazelnut, I thought… So this tea cake was born.
Tea cakes are my jam! May be it’s because, I’m an avid fan of tea (and coffee too). More than the actual beverage, I think I love the idea and the feeling of relaxation around tea time! This cake is ideal with a strong cup of coffee or tea. Because it is not too sweet, I would totally serve this with ice cream as a dessert too.
Alternatives
You can substitute some ingredients, but always keep in mind that every change is going to affect the flavor profile.
Molasses – can be replaced with maple syrup, honey (mild)
Yogurt – can be replaced with low fat yogurt, sour cream, buffalo curd
Hazelnuts – can be replaced with Walnuts (or you can bake without nuts in the batter)
Chocolate spread – instead of a chocolate, you can cover the cake with chocolate ganache, simple icing (icing sugar, water and vanilla or chocolate)
making of this cake is pretty simple and similar to most pond cakes. I will mentions the most important steps with pictures.
Butter and flour a 10 cup Bundt tin
- You can use a 9″ by 5″ loaf or a square 9″ by 9″ brownie pan too
Swift together rye, all purpose flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa together and set aside
Lightly toast and roughly chop 1 cup of hazelnuts (or walnuts)
Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add molasses and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl frequently.
Add one egg at a time and mix on medium until cleared, making sure to scrape the bowl frequently
- this is how the batter should look like. If it splits, add a tbsp. or two of flour and mix
Add flour and yogurt alternating each other and mix on low speed. Scrape the bowl frequently. Once all the flour is in, fold through the chopped nuts
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan (or any other pan)
Make sure batter is evenly spread.
– Tap the pan several times, to get rid of any air and to make sure all groves are filled with batter
Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for about 50 minutes or until done.
A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean when it is done. Check the cake at 45 minutes mark as each oven is different.
Once the cake is done, remove from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.
As the cake cools, it will pull back from the walls. Place a wire rack on top and tip the pan over. The cake should easily drop.
Let the cake cool. Prepare the chocolate in the mean time
Add the oil onto the chocolate and microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in-between. When you get a silky pouring consistency, leave it to cool slightly.
When it is thicker it will stick better to the cake.
Have some extra toasted hazelnuts to sprinkle on top
Once the cake is cool enough, pour the chocolate to cover the entire cake. Use the drippings and pour again until all areas are covered. Use a spatula or a spoon to help spread the chocolate. Let the chocolate settle, and sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts.
Leave until the chocolate set and serve.
Ingredients
- 200g Whole grain Rye flour (sifted Rye works too)
- 50g all-purpose flour
- 20g cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 170g butter at room temperature
- 200g sugar
- 3 medium eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup molasses (honey is an alternative)
- 200g plain yogurt (full fat or low fat) at room temperature
- 1 cup toasted hazelnuts
To decorate
- about 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts chopped
- 100g dark baking chocolate (60%)
- 1 tbsp. oil (olive oil, grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil)
Instructions
- Prepare a 10 cup Bundt pan (butter and flour). You can use a 9″ by 5″ loaf pan or a 9″ by 9″ brownie pan too
- Pre heat the oven to 350 °C
- Roughly chop the hazelnuts and set aside
- Mix Rye, all-purpose flour, salt, cocoa, baking powder and sift a couple of time
- Beat butter and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer, until light and fluffy, using the paddle attachment
- Add the molasses and beat to combine. Scrape the bowl frequently
- Add one egg at a time and mix on medium speed until cleared
- If the mixture starts to splits, add a bit of flour and mix on low until nice and smooth
- Once all the eggs are added, have the mixer running on low speed and add flour and yogurt alternating
- Make sure to scrape the bowl from time to time
- Once everything is added, the mixture should be slightly thick, voluminous and almost like a pond cake batter
- Now fold in the chopped hazelnuts
- Pour in the prepared pan and place in the oven
- Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean
- Once done leave the pan on a wire rack to cool
- When the cake cools, the sides will pull away from the pan walls
- Place a tray/place/wire rack on top and tip the pan over
- The cake should release and fall with ease
- Leave the cake to cool completely
- Make the chocolate spread in the mean time
- Add the baking chocolate and oil in a small container and microwave for 60 seconds ( 30 second bursts) stirring at intervals until it is melted and silky
- Leave the chocolate to cool slightly (still runny but a bit thick)
- Once the cake is cooled, cover with chocolate. (pour over the cake, and reuse the dripping. Use a spatula or a spoon to help spread the chocolate)
- Let he chocolate coating settle slightly ( but not dry completely) and sprinkle the chopped hazelnut over the cake
- You can serve immediately or let the chocolate coating dry out
- Best served with, crème fraîche, a dollop of cream
Notes
Can be served with vanilla ice cream as a dessert too
4 comments
This cake is absolutely delicious! I love that it’s not too sweet. My husband called it really morish. Love how rye is getting the love in a form of cake.
Hi Sarah, I’m over the moon that you liked it! Yes I wanted to give Rye all the attention it deserves.
Thank you for your feedback!
Hi
I wish you would include the measurements in cups as I have no idea what the gram measurement is and every ingredient may be different if I use the gram to cup conversion.
It is recommended to use weights as they are accurate.