Chocolate Cake with Roasted Hazelnuts

I like my cakes tall, dark, and handsome. So, a chocolate cake topped with ganache and roasted hazelnuts just about wins my vote for sexiest cake of the moment. Don't let the appearance fool you, this cake isn't as intimidating as it looks. Adding a layer of ganache to your cake is an easy way to take it from good to wow-I-can't-believe-this-doesn't-come-from-a-bakery good! And in case your wondering, it tastes as good as it looks. I used this devil's food cake recipe from Martha Stewart, and dabbled with my own creativity to come up with the chocolate hazelnut icing and chocolate hazelnut ganache recipe. The cake tasted like it came straight off the boat from Paris, with a light chocolate taste and smooth buttery finish. And the icing, well, see for yourself...

Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup icing sugar

75 grams chocolate

1/4 cup Nutella

2 tbsp. milk

Directions

1. Mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy

2. Melt chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pot of boiling water. Once melted, add Nutella. Once combined, add milk and stir until smooth.

3. Combine chocolate mixture and butter mixture until smooth. Ice cake once cooled.

Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache

150 grams chocolate

1 cup cream

1/4 cup Nutella

Directions

1. Simmer cream on medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat and add chocolate. Let chocolate melt, and continuously stir it into the cream cream until smooth. Add Nutella and stir in until smooth. One combined, let cool in fridge for about 30 minutes. Once cooled, pour onto iced cake and add crushed roasted hazelnuts. Place in fridge immediately after so ganache can harden.

J. Crew Interior

Jenna Lyon's town home is an unlikely combination of shabby-meets-preppy. Creative Director of J. Crew, I love how Lyon has taken the classic all-American brand and made it immensely more interesting. So, it's no surprise that her home mimics her exceptional fashion sense. I love the grainy grey wood floors, grandiose chandeliers, pale colour pallete, and unexpected room accents of her New York abode.

Purple Hues

Cropped mohair and pearl embossed lilac sweater from Madonna's new line, Material Girl

One of my fave quotes reproduced in deep lavender and framed in rustic silver

50's cat eye sunglasses from Anthropologie in the prettiest shade of lavender

A rainbow of purple hues in my girly Urban Outfitters pillow

Billy Balls

While this scattered mint julep cup of dainty yellow balls may be sparse to call a bouquet, I still think it's a charming addition to my desktop.

I found this charming bouquet on my first trip to Chicago in Bucktown. I was enamored with the small trendy shops and just had to buy something lovely as a souvenir.

The best part about billy balls is that they dry beautifully. I've had these for 3 months and they still look as fresh as the day I got them. I love the way they look in combination with other flowers - they add a unique quirkiness to a wedding bouquet but also look darling on their own.