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Because even in summer, you can always go for a chocolate cake.

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Do you remember on Monday when I said I had chocolate on my mind?

Well, I really was not kidding. I just needed cake, and it needed to be chocolate. I mean, of course it needed to be chocolate.

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

I have been all wrapped up in summer foods, no bake desserts and even trying my hand at few fruit desserts. Thus I’ve let way too much time pass without having any chocolate cake and/or chocolate like things in the house. How I could do this I have no idea.

Plus, the day I made this cake, my mom, who I had not seen in over a month, was coming home the next day. I figured what better time for chocolate cake? If there is a chocolate cake lover in the world, it is her. Without doubt.

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

As I was shooting the cake (c’mon – photographing it!), I actually got so exited about it that I sent my mom photos just to so she’d know what she was coming home to.

She was beyond happy. Especially knowing that this time she would actually be able to eat the cake.

See, for the past month I have been emailing my mom photos asking her what she thought because I can never just be happy with a photo I take. I have to have a second opinion. So I sent her multiple photos almost every day for the last thirty some days. I know, it’s so crazy, but well, that is just me. I can own the craziness. Needless to say, they are quite happy to be home now.

And especially happy when they returned home to chocolate cake. I mean, who would not be?

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Now let’s talk about the fact that I did indeed add corn to this chocolate. Yes, real corn, right off the cob. Well, I did caramelize it first to give it an even sweeter flavor, but it is real corn.

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

You guys, DO NOT freak out that I put corn in the cake and that I actually made healthier cake. I promise that this cake is nothing short of pure indulgence. Dare I say it is one of my favorite cakes to date? Yep, I do.

It passed the test of all the family members. I of course never told any of the boys there was corn, whole wheat flour and flax-seed in it. That would be a stupid thing to do. Although, now that I think about it, it probably would have been a smart thing to do. Less cake eaters = more cake for me. Gotta think smarter next time.

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Ok, so how did I think to put corn in chocolate cake?

Well, I was hiking (all the best ideas happen then) and thinking that I really just wanted to make a chocolate cake. A really chocolatey, chocolate cake. But then I thought I needed to make it a little summery because I want everything to be summery this month. Gotta go out with a bang.

I really dislike fruit and chocolate together, so then what?

At first I was all, well maybe zucchini, but then I thought, everyone is doing zucchini.  That’s when corn came to mind. I figured if I could put corn in ice cream, why not chocolate cake?

Yes, I thought is was weird too, but trust me, it works. And it works SO well.

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Just like zucchini, adding corn keeps this cake incredibly moist. I mean, like it’s actually fudgey it is so moist, and that’s a hard thing to get when using whole wheat flour in a cake. I am telling you, corn is my new secret weapon when it comes to cake. You have to try it.

I also added a little hazelnut liquor to help the chocolate flavors really pop. It’s so good.

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Oh and um, the popcorn sitting on top! I figured with corn actually in the cake, what better way to top the cake than with some crunchy caramel popcorn. It just melts in your mouth while still adding a little crunch to the soft and fudgey cake. Holy yum, I need another slice.

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

And the ganache, yeah so I guess this really isn’t that healthy. Although it’s just cream and chocolate. I personally don’t see that as being unhealthy because cream is natural and chocolate is full of antioxidants. Yep, still healthy in my mind.

Anyway, the whole cake is covered in ganache, both whipped and un-whipped. I know I already said this, but… so good.

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w/Ganache.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Rest/Refrigerate 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 16 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 538 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Ingredients

Cake

Ganache

Hazenut Crunch Popcorn

  • 6 cups air popped popcorn
  • 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon hazelnut liquor optional
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

Cake

  • Add the butter to a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the corn, if desired you can add 1 tablespoon of coconut or brown sugar to help the corn caramelize better. Cook five minutes or until the corn has browned lightly and caramelized. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon hazelnut liquor. Pour the corn into a high powdered blender or food processor. Add the buttermilk and puree until completely smooth, about three minutes. Set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.
  • In a medium size bowl combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, flax meal (ground flax seeds), coconut sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand held mixer) beat together the eggs, corn/buttermilk mixture, melted coconut oil, vanilla and hazelnut liquor (if using) until smooth. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low until there are no longer any clumps of flour. Add the hot coffee and mix until combined. Batter should be pourable, but not super thin.
  • Pour the batter among the 2 cake pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are just set and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool five minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan. Grab 2 large flat plates, line them with wax or parchment paper and invert the cakes onto the paper lined plates. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
  • To make the ganache, in a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave on high for 30 second intervals, stirring between each until melted. Once melted stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Pour all but 1/3-1/2 cup of the ganache into a separate mixing bowl. Set the smaller amount of ganache aside, cover the larger amount and place in the fridge for 15 minutes or leave on the counter for 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile make the popcorn, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Add the popcorn and hazelnuts to a greased baking sheet. In a small sauce pot add the honey, coconut sugar and water. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes, remove from the heat and slowly stir in the vanilla and hazelnut liquor. Pour the sauce over the popcorn and use your hands to toss the sauce with the popcorn. Make sure it coats all the popcorn. Bake for 15 minutes, tossing once to ensure even cooking. Cool completely before topping the cake.
  • Now grab the chilled ganache from the fridge and beat it with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 4 minutes. You now have whipped chocolate ganache!
  • To assemble the cake, place 1 layer, flat side up, on a plate or cake stand. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with a layer of whipped ganache. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the whipped ganache evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Now grab the remaining, un-whipped ganache. If needed place it back in the microwave so it is pourable. Pour the ganache over top the cake. Top with the hazelnut crunch popcorn. Slice and serve or store in the fridge until ready to serve. If storing in the fridge I find it best to remove the cake 15-30 minutes before eating. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk and extra popcorn!

Notes

*Adapted from my favorite [Simple Chocolate Cake | https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/simple-chocolate-birthday-cake-whipped-chocolate-buttercream/].
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Healthier Chocolate Lovers Sweet Corn and Hazelnut Crunch Chocolate Cake w-Ganache | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

So enjoy these last remaining Friday’s of summer… with umm, cake. Lots of cake.

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Comments

    1. Hey Kay,
      Yes that would be fine to do, just be sure to thaw and drain first. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan

  1. 5 stars
    I just made this cake for a co-workers retirement party, it is delicious. It is so rustic with the sweet corn, but, everyone was afraid to cut into it. WHAT? I just dug right in, and then others followed, I noticed its pretty quiet in the break room now, I hope everyone enjoyed this as much as I did. Thank you Tieghan, this was really a delightful combination! .

  2. FYI – if anyone is trying to make this cake out of corn season, I made it with frozen corn and it turned out great! I put the frozen kernels in the pan with butter on low and then turned up the heat and added sugar after they seemed to be defrosted.

    My only hiccup with the cake – I didn’t achieve the beautiful two-toned ganache but maybe I didn’t let it get cold enough before whipping?

    Very yummy, I will for sure make it again.

    1. HEy Bonnie! Thanks for the tips! I would try letting the ganache chill a little longer and see if that helps get you a better color. Let me know if you have questions. Thank you!

  3. hi there! any suggestion to swap flaxseed meal with something? i cant eat it for health related reason …or can i just leave it out?…waiting for your reply so i can start baking this cake 🙂

  4. Hey,

    Maybe I am totally dense, but how exactly do you prepare the corn for the pan? Do you cut the raw kernals off a cob or should the corn be boiled and cut off the cob before you begin?

    Looking forward to trying this one out on my fiance 🙂

    1. Just cut the raw kernels off the cobs. Hope you love the cake and please let me know if you have any other questions!!

  5. Hey! So, I made the cake base (and subbed in applesauce for half of the oil), and for some reason, I had a terrible time getting the cake out of the pans. I thought I sprayed them with enough non-stick garbage, but they both crumbled into multiple chunks that I desperately pieced together with frosting. So much for my beautiful exposed layer cake plan. Any thoughts on why this happened?

    1. Hey Jenny,

      My guess is that your cake was a little dry from subbing applesauce. With all the healthier ingredients going on, the cake really needs an oil to help it bake up properly. This is the only thing that I can think would have happened. Did you line your cake pans with parchment paper? I aways do this and never have any problems with cake sticking and or crumbling. Also, is it possible it was over baked at all? That could play a roll as well.

      Please let me know if you have any thoughts or questions. Thanks Tieghan!

      1. Tieghan,
        You’re probably right about it being too dry due to the applesauce, and I did not use parchment paper. I’m going to try again this week and use the oil rather than half applesauce/half oil.
        Thanks for the tips. Can’t wait to eat this again!
        Jenny

  6. I have never anted to eat my laptop more than this..that cake and ganache looks absolutely delicious! I just want to make cake riiiiight now.

    I will have to give this a try, thank you for sharing 🙂
    xxx
    grandiosedays.blogspot.co.uk

  7. Corn in your cake?! You are a genius. Pure and simple. 🙂 I’m definitely going to have to try this out for myself!

  8. I really want to make this cake but I’m wondering: Can you taste the corn in it? Because as much as I enjoy chocolate drizzled popcorn, I’m not sure I’d like the taste of actual corn with chocolate, so I wanted to ask! Thank you 😀

  9. Corn in the cake? Oh wow you are a genius. I think that would be amazing! And that drizzle. And the topping. And the photos…. 🙂