Hazelnut Chiffon Cake With Marshmallow Fluff Icing


Ingredients:
Cake:
1 cup (160g) raw hazelnuts with the skin-on
1¼ cups (140g) cake flour
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) vegetable oil
3 Tbsp (45 mL) hazelnut liqueur
1 Tbsp (15 mL) pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60 mL) water
4 large eggs, separated
plus 2 large egg whites
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cream of tartar
Icing:
1½ cups (345g) unsalted butter, softened
1¾ cups (200g) icing sugar
15 ounces (425g) marshmallow crème (Fluff)
2 Tbsp (30 mL) hazelnut liqueur


Method:
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
Toast hazelnuts on a sheet tray for 10-15 minutes.
Line 2-9” round cake pans with parchment paper; grease parchment but not pan sides.
In food processor finely grind the cooled hazelnuts.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground hazelnuts together in large bowl.
Whisk oil, liqueur, vanilla , water, and egg yolks together in separate bowl.
Whip egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form, don’t over whip.
Mix egg yolk mixture into flour-nut mixture until a smooth batter forms.
Using a spatula, gently fold egg whites into batter until incorporated.
Divide batter between prepared pans.
Bake until tops are light golden brown and cakes spring back when pressed in centre, 25 to 28 minutes.
Let cakes cool in pans for 15 minutes, before releasing.
Invert cakes onto a wire rack, remove parchment and allow to cool completely.
Icing / Frosting:
In a stand mixer fitted with paddle, cream butter until smooth.
Switch to wire whisk and with machine running add sugar.
Increase speed to medium and whip until smooth, really, really, smooth.
Scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Add hazelnut liqueur, return speed to medium-high, and whip to incorporate.
Add Fluff, increase speed to medium-high, and whip until light and fluffy, really, really, light and fluffy.
Spread the icing / frosting onto the layer cake evenly.