An incredibly delicious Kinder Bueno cake that tastes just like the beloved chocolate bar! This cake has three layers of super moist chocolate sponge and a rich Kinder Bueno cream filling with hazelnuts. Covered in a smooth milk chocolate ganache and Kinder Bueno chocolate bars.
Cakes are one of those treats that are reserved specifically for celebrations and important events. Since I only get to enjoy them only a few times per year, I like them to be extra special. This Kinder Bueno cake is so incredibly delicious that I might start making it on random weekends. Seriously, it's THAT good!
This cake is the best treat ever for any Kinder Bueno fan, because it tastes exactly like the real thing. Also, every element of this recipe is made from scratch. The chocolate sponge is incredibly moist, whilst the creamy hazelnut filling is super rich. To make things even more delicious, this cake is covered in smooth chocolate ganache and decorated with Kinder Bueno bars.
Why this Kinder Bueno Cake is the best
- It tastes just like a real Kinder Bueno chocolate bar
- Every element is made from scratch
- Manageable by all home bakers, including beginners
- Can be adapted for smaller of larger cakes
- Perfect for all occasions: anniversaries, children's birthday parties and many more
- Easy to decorate and make it look like a high-end cake
- Not overly sweet, just the right amount
What's inside this cake?
This cake features the most delicious homemade Kinder Bueno cream sandwiched between three layers of moist, rich chocolate sponge. The entire cake is then covered in a layer of milk chocolate ganache and decorated with more ganache and crunchy Kinder chocolate bars. Here's a cross section of all the deliciousness hiding inside this cake:
The components
Moist chocolate sponge - this recipe is my absolute favourite because it's so incredibly chocolatey! The sponge is really soft and moist, but packs an intense chocolate flavour. And the best part? It's super simple to make and all you need is a hand mixer and a large bowl.
Kinder Bueno cream filling - entirely homemade, but tastes exactly like a Kinder bar. Using a combination of vanilla pastry cream, white chocolate and roasted hazelnuts, this filling is the definition of 'delicious'!
Chocolate ganache - silky smooth ganache made with chocolate for days. This recipe is super quick and requires equal parts of chocolate and heavy (double) cream - Yep, it's *that* simple!
Optional: white chocolate ganache - used for decoration to contrast with the rest of the cake. Following the same recipe as the milk ganache, we'll be using it to pipe decorations on top of the cake. Alternatively, you can use the same chocolate ganache on top as for the rest of the cake.
Ingredient round-up
Cake flour - also known as type 000 flour. This type of flour contains much less protein than regular plain flour, so it makes for a lighter cake. If you cannot find it in store, you can still use plain white flour instead.
Sour cream or buttermilk - helps make the cake soft and airy. Buttermilk is my preferred option, but sour cream works just as well. Some sour creams can be a bit thicker, so add dilute it with a little milk before weighing the correct quantity for the recipe. If you can't find either, use heavy (double) cream instead.
Eggs - use large free range eggs. For best results, make sure they are at room temperature before using.
Vegetable oil - makes the cake really moist. I recommend using a flavourless oil, such as sunflower or rapeseed. It can also be replaced with melted butter, but I recommend trying this recipe with oil first. Oil in batter always result in a much lighter and more moist sponges.
Cocoa powder - use Dutch processed cocoa powder. This type of cocoa powder is darker in colour and has a much deeper chocolate taste. Also, unlike natural cocoa powder, this one doesn't have a bitter taste.
Instant coffee - helps bring out the chocolate taste even more. Don't worry, you will not be able to taste the coffee in this cake at all. Trust me on this one, as I absolutely dislike coffee. When added in small quantities, coffee brings out the richness in the chocolate flavour, without modifying the taste (or smell).
Rum extract - match made in Heaven with chocolate sponges. Adding a tiny bit of rum extract to your batter has the same effect as coffee - bring out the flavour. If you do not have rum extract, you can add some real rum or replace it with vanilla extract.
How to make Kinder Bueno Cake
Making the chocolate sponge
Although it's super simple to make this sponge, it's also one of the most delicious chocolate sponges ever. All you need is a large bowl and a hand mixer (or whisk). Gather all your ingredients and ensure they are at room temperature before commencing.
Prepare 3 x 15 cm (6-inch) round cake pans by greasing them with butter, then lining them with baking (parchment) paper. Grease with butter over the paper, then add a little cocoa powder in all the cake pan. Turn the pan around so the cocoa powder can coat the paper in a thin layer, then tap out the excess. Now we can begin making the batter.
1. Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl - flour, baking powder & soda, salt, sugar and cocoa powder. Give everything a good whisk to combine well. This will ensure the leavening agents (baking powder & cocoa) are well distributed for an even rise throughout.
2. Add in all the wet ingredients - eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract and coffee.
3. Use a hand mixer or a whisk to combine everything evenly. Only mix until the batter is combined, do not overdo it. Over-mixing will make the gluten in the flour develop and you will get a dense cake.
4. Divide the batter equally between the 3 lined trays. Rap the trays slightly on the worktop to remove any bubbles. Bake in a preheated oven at 170C (340F), fan assisted for 35-40 minutes. Place all the cakes on the same rack inside the oven, to get an even bake throughout. If you can't fit all of them at once, bake the 3rd cake afterwards. Baking them on different racks can make some cakes bakes throughout and others still raw.
Once the cakes have finished baking, let them cool inside the pans for 10 minutes. Afterwards, remove them from the cake pan and let them cool upside down on a wire rack. Cooling sponges upside down will give them a nice, flat top.
Making the Kinder Bueno cream filling
This Kinder Bueno creamy hazelnut filling is so good you could eat it all up with a spoon. To make it you will need a few elements: vanilla pastry cream, soft brown sugar, white chocolate and roasted hazelnuts.
For this cream filling you will need:
- Pastry cream - can be made in advance by 3-4 days. Here's my in-depth guide to pastry cream.
- Roasted hazelnuts - you can buy them already roasted or roast them yourself in the oven. They're the main flavour in the cream, so they're very important.
- Soft brown sugar - used with the hazelnuts to make a smooth paste. The sugar adds a caramelised flavour.
- White chocolate - as important as the hazelnuts, ensure you use high quality chocolate.
I have covered this recipe in a lot of detail in my post How to Make Kinder Bueno Cream, but here's a recap:
- Place roasted hazelnuts and soft brown sugar in a food processor.
- Blitz them until you obtain a paste that looks a bit like grainy sand. It should feel creamy, yet still firm.
- Add the hazelnut paste and melted white chocolate over pastry cream.
- Use a hand mixer to combine everything into a smooth cream.
Don't forget to check out the detailed recipe here for more in-depth instructions, tips & tricks and FAQs.
Making the chocolate ganache
The last element we need to prepare before assembling the cake is the chocolate ganache. This is arguably the easiest part of the entire recipe and it only takes a few minutes.
For the ganache you will need:
- Milk chocolate - It's important you use good quality chocolate, so use any type you like to eat. Make sure you chop it finely so it melts faster.
- Heavy (double) cream - Use full fat cream for an ultra creamy ganache. You can also replace it with whipping cream, although it will have a higher chance of splitting.
- Salt - a small pinch of salt goes a long way to make the flavour pop. Use fine grain salt.
Now let's begin. Gather all your ingredients and heat the heavy (double) cream in the microwave or on the stove until it's piping hot. Do not let it boil! Chop the chocolate in small pieces, so it melts faster.
1. Add the hot cream over the chopped milk chocolate. Let it sit for 5-6 minutes, so the chocolate can melt.
2. Use a spatula to mix the chocolate and cream until you get a silky, smooth liquid. At this point, the ganache will be very liquid and cannot be used as frosting. Now we will cover the bowl with plastic wrap (cling film) and let the ganache cool in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
3. Once cooled, the ganache should have the consistency of a spread, but hold its shape firmly. When it reaches this consistency, we can finally whip it. Use a hand mixer to whip the ganache until it looks like smooth buttercream. Only whip the ganache when you're ready to assemble the cake, as it's best you use it immediately. It you store it in the fridge after whipping, you may need to whip it again and this can make the ganache grainy (and appear split).
4. Once you reach the buttercream-type consistency, the ganache is ready. Place it in a piping bag for later.
Assembling the Kinder Bueno Cake
Now that all the elements of the Kinder Bueno Cake are ready, we can finally begin assembling it. I recommend using a turntable, as it makes cake assembling and decorating much easier. Place the Kinder Bueno cream and ganache in piping bags fitted with round nozzles. This will make it much easier to add the fillings on each layer.
1. Start by prepping the sponges. I like to have flat layers of cake, so I usually cut off the top to make the sponge really flat. You can use a bread knife or a cake slicer like this one. Make sure you don't cut too much off though, so your layers aren't too slim.
2. Pipe a ring of ganache on the bottom layer. This should sit right on the edge of the sponge, on the inside. The ganache will help keep in the creamy hazelnut filling, so make sure you don't skip this step.
3. Now pipe the Kinder Bueno cream inside the ring of ganache. The layer of cream should be about 1 cm in thickness (½ inch). If you've piped it too thinly, just add more cream on top. There's no need to smooth the cream, as we will be adding the next layer of cake on top.
4. Add the second layer of chocolate sponge on top of the cream, then repeat Step 3 for the ganache and cream fillings. Afterwards, add the third and final layer of sponge on top. Make sure you don't apply any pressure, as this will make the filling push out.
5. With the sponge layers and fillings in place, we can now start to decorate the cake. Pipe some ganache on the sides and top of the cake and use a cake spatula to smooth it out. For a more 'naked cake' look, one layer of ganache is enough. If you want the cake to look very crisp, you will need at least 2 layers of ganache. Make sure to chill the cake in between the layers of ganache for at least 1 hour.
6. Once the cake is fully covered in the chocolate ganache, we can start decorating it. I made some white chocolate ganache and added 1-2 teaspoon of the milk chocolate ganache into it. You can also use the same ganache you made to cover the cake to decorate the top. Fit a star nozzle onto your piping tip, then pipe in a circular motion. The technique I used is similar to frosting a cupcake. Add small pieces of Kinder Bueno chocolate bars and other yummy decorations on top or on the sides of the cake to complete the look.
Tips & Tricks
- Don't overmix the cake batter, as this will result in a dense cake. Instead, just mix the ingredients together until they are combined without any large lumps of flour.
- Use 3 separate round cake pans to bake the layers separately. If you use one tall cake pan to bake it in one go, you will get a very uneven bake. The centre might still be raw, whilst the top can be burnt. Also, it will take 2+ hours to bake a tall sponge. When using separate cake pans like these ones, all the layers will be baked perfectly and it will take around 35-40 minutes to bake them all.
- Check if your sponge is fully baked by inserting a toothpick or skewer through the middle of the sponge. If the skewer comes out clean, then the cake is baked. If there's batter on the skewer, then you need to bake the cake longer.
- Let the sponge chill in the fridge for at least 5-6 hours before slicing to level it. This way, it will be much easier to make clean slices.
- Make sure the ganache is properly chilled before whipping it up. If the ganache hasn't had enough time in the fridge, it will be much too runny. You won't be able to cover the cake with a runny ganache. Leave the ganache to cool for a minimum of 2 hours or preferably overnight.
- Use a cake scraper to smooth out the ganache as much as possible. I like to use this one, as it's big enough to make the levelling much quicker.
- You'll work much faster if you use a cake turntable. Nothing fancy needed, a plastic stand that rotates will work just as well.
- Place the cake on a cake board so it's easier to move around. This is really important if you plan on transporting your cake. If you work directly on the turntable, it will be very difficult to lift up the cake without damaging it.
- Don't worry about getting the finish perfect! We will be adding Kinder Bueno chocolate bars and other decorations which will hide any imperfections.
Frequently Asked Questions
This cake is best stored in the fridge. As the creamy fillings contain dairy, this cake should not be left at room temperature for too long. To store, place the cake in a tall cake box and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Ensure there are no smells in your fridge that can alter the flavours in the cake - such as raw onion or fragrant foods.
Yes, absolutely. You can make the chocolate sponge up to 3 months in advance if you're freezing it. Chocolate ganache and Kinder Bueno Cream can also be made up to 3 days in advance. The fully assembled cake will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes, the chocolate sponge can be frozen. The Kinder Bueno cream cannot be frozen as it will result in a grainy texture once thawed. For best results, only freeze the sponge without any frosting. To do this, just wrap each individual sponge in 2 layers of plastic wrap, followed by one layer of aluminium foil. Freeze for up to 3-4 months.
There could be a few reasons for this. Firstly, you may have over-mixed the cake batter. Ensure you only mix the batter until there are no more lumps, roughly 1 minute. Secondly, you may have added less liquids that the recipe asks for. The batter will appear very liquid, which yields a super soft cake. Double check you have added all the vegetable oil and buttermilk.
This is a typical problem that occurs when the cake is under-baked. Even if the cake appears to be ready, always check with a toothpick to see if it's fully done. See my tips & tricks for more details on how to do this.
This probably happened because you didn't line the cake pan as indicated. Even if you're using a non-stick cake pan, make sure you fully line the cake pan with baking paper. I also like to go a step further and grease the baking paper with some butter, then sprinkle cocoa powder over it. This will guarantee that your cake will not stick to the pan.
This usually happens when the temperature in the oven is too high. When the oven is too hot, the sides of the cake will bake much quicker than the middle. When the middle finally catches up, it has nowhere to expand, so it has to push through the top of the cake. Reduce the temperature slightly and bake for longer if needed. However, even if the cake is cracked on top, you can easily remove 1-2cm (½ inch) off the top by using a cake leveller.
The perfect birthday cake
As I mentioned earlier, this cake is amazing for all types of events. I made this Kinder Bueno Cake for my friend Ted, who's a massive fan of Kinder Bueno. You could see the excitement on his face when he opened the cake box and saw the deliciousness inside. Here's the birthday boy with his Kinder Bueno Cake:
If you enjoyed this recipe, you will love these too:
Kinder Bueno Cream (Chocolate & Hazelnut Pastry Cream)
How to make Creme Patissiere (Vanilla Pastry Cream)
Apple Meringue Cake with Vanilla Custard
Double Layer Carrot Cake with Caramelised Walnuts
Chimney Cone ‘Carrots’ with Vanilla Pastry Cream
If you’ve tried this recipe out, please don’t forget to rate and comment on this recipe. I love hearing from you, so feel free to reach out to me on social media as well and tag me in your posts!
Recipe
Kinder Bueno Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 3 6-inch (15 cm) cake pans
Ingredients
Chocolate Sponge
- 180 g cake flour* (1 ½ cups)
- 50 g Dutch processed cocoa powder* (½ cup)
- 140 g granulated sugar (⅔ cup)
- 7 g baking powder (1 ½ tsp)
- 5 g baking soda (1 tsp)
- 6 g salt (1 tsp)
- 2 g instant coffee* (1 tsp)
- 150 g water, boiling (⅔ cup)
- 180 g sour cream or buttermilk* (¾ cup)
- 90 g vegetable oil* (⅓ cup)
- 2 eggs, large
- 5 g rum extract* (1 tsp)
Kinder Bueno Cream Filling
- ½ batch vanilla pastry cream
- 100 g roasted hazelnuts (¾ cup)
- 20 g soft brown sugar (1 ½ tbsp)
- 50 g white chocolate, chopped (⅓ cup)
Chocolate Ganache
- 200 g milk chocolate (1 ¼ cups)
- 200 g double cream (¾ cup)
- 3 g salt (½ tsp)
- 5 g vanilla extract (1 tsp)
Instructions
Chocolate Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 170C (340F) with fan. Line and grease 3 x 15cm (6-inch) cake pans. Add some cocoa powder and move the pans around to coat them with the powder, removing the excess.
- Combine all the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and soda and sugar. Give them a good whisk to fully incorporate.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk (or sour cream), vegetable oil and rum extract. Use a hand mixer to mix everything until just about combined – do not over-mix. Dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water, then add it over the cake batter. At this point use a hand whisk or spatula to incorporate everything and avoid over-mixing.
- Divide the batter equally between the two lined cake pans. Tap the pans a few times on the counter to remove bubbles, then bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let the cakes cool inside the pans for 10 minutes. Afterwards, take them out and let them cool upside down on a wire rack. This will help keep the tops nice and flat.
Kinder Bueno Filling
- For a more detailed method and recipe, read the full post on Kinder Bueno Cream here.
- Make ½ batch of pastry cream, full recipe and ingredients can be found here.
- Pulse the hazelnuts and soft brown sugar in a food processor until you obtain a smooth paste. Set aside for now.
- Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in short intervals of 10-15 seconds until fully melted. Let it cool down to room temperature, then add it into the pastry cream.
- Add the hazelnut paste and melted white chocolate to the pastry cream. Use a hand mixer to combine everything really well, then set it in the fridge to chill before using.
Chocolate Ganache
- Chop the chocolate finely or use chocolate droplets. Heat the double (heavy) cream until bubbling, then add it over the chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Use a spatula to combine the chocolate and heavy (double) cream until you get a glossy chocolate liquid. There shouldn't be any chunks of chocolate left unmelted. If needed, reheat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to melt the remaining chocolate.
- Cover the bowl and let it cool in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours until it has a spreadable consistency.
- Once the ganache is firm, use a hand mixer to whip it until it has the consistency of buttercream. Do not over-mix to avoid splitting the cream - stop when it looks fluffy. Once ready, place the ganache into a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm (½ inch) nozzle.
Assembling the cake
- If needed, cut off the top of the sponges with a cake leveller to make them flat. Add a little dollop of ganache to a cake board, to prevent the cake from sliding. Stick the first layer of sponge onto it.
- Pipe a ring of chocolate ganache around the outer perimeter of the sponge, then add the Kinder Bueno filling in the middle. Place the second layer of sponge on top, without pressing too hard.
- Repeat the process and pipe a ring of ganache, then Kinder Bueno Cream in the middle. Add the third layer of sponge on top.
- Cover the entire cake with chocolate ganache, smoothing it out with a cake scraper or spatula. If you want a more 'semi-naked' cake look, add only one layer of ganache. For a fully covered cake, add two layers of ganache, and chill the cake for 1-2 hours in between the layers.
- Decorate the top of the cake with dollops of ganache - you can also make a white chocolate ganache by replacing the milk chocolate with white. Decorate with Kinder Bueno chocolate bars and other candy.
Notes
- I recommend using a kitchen scale in grams for more accuracy. The cups used for the conversion are standard US customary cups (1 cup flour = 136g). There are many different types of cups across the globe, which is why I strongly recommend using grams instead.
- Cake flour or type 000 flour yields a much softer cake. If you cannot find it, you can still use plain white flour, but the cake won't be as fluffy.
- Dutch processed cocoa powder gives a more intense flavour and yields a darker colour.
- Instant coffee can be replaced with an espresso shot or filtered coffee. If added in the quantity indicated, the cake will not have any coffee flavour. Coffee is only added to make the chocolate flavour pop even more.
- Sour cream or buttermilk can be replaced with heavy (double) cream. If the cream you're using is too thick, add some milk to dilute it. However, make sure you weight the final quantity after diluting the cream.
- Rum extract helps make the chocolate flavour more intense. Alternatively, replace it with vanilla extract or real rum.
Prajeet says
I made this for my GF's birthday and not only did she love the gesture but there was no more cake left after three days haha. Thank you for the recipe and the idea!
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Aw thanks so much! Such a wonderful idea, so glad to hear your partner loved it 😍
Emily says
Tried out this recipe for my 5 yo’s birthday and he absolutely adored it! I am a fan of walnuts so wondering if I could switch it up next time?
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi Emily, so glad you enjoyed the cake! Yes you can always switch the hazelnuts for walnuts in the same quantity. I recommend also roasting the walnuts first either in the oven or in a pan to give them a richer, earthier flavour.
Justine says
Bonsoir, j'aimerais faire ce gâteau pour une vingtaine de personnes, dois-je doubler toutes les quantités ?
Merci 🙂
Justine says
J'aimerais également savoir, si je peux le recouvrir de pâte à sucre ?
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Bonjour Justine, oui je vous conseillerai de doubler les ingrédients et d'utiliser une poêle plus grande (à peu près 22-25 cm de diamètre). Vous aurez à cuire le gâteau pour plus longtemps aussi, ainsi il est très important de s'en assurer avec un cure-dent que la pâte est bien prête.
Et oui vous pouvez le couvrir de pâte à sucre si vous voulez, mais la crème au chocolat est beaucoup plus délicieuse à mon avis. Bonne chance avec la recette!
Miro says
Hi! I may have missed this, but how much exactly is 1/2 batch of pastry cream? In grams? Thank you!
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi Miro, 1/2 batch pastry cream is approximately 350 grams. You can find all the full recipe and ingredients here: https://sugaryums.com/how-to-make-creme-patissiere-vanilla-pastry-cream/
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions!
JP says
The instructions say to split the mixture between 2 cake tins but then later on there’s a 3rd layer of sponge to add on top. Where does the 3rd layer of sponge come from 🤯
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi JP, my apologies that's a type - thank you for bringing it to my attention. To clarify, this recipe calls for 3 x 15cm (6-inch) cake pans to make 3 layers. I have rectified this in the recipe card, sorry about the confusion!
Ivy Rose says
Hello, I couldn't find any rum extract, so I was wondering which type of rum I should add instead (white/dark/spiced) and how much of it (1tsp)?
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi Ivy, the rum extract is entirely optional and the purpose of it is to make the chocolate flavour more intense. It's perfectly fine to leave it out and the cake will still taste really good. However, if you do want a bit of rum flavour too, I recommend replacing 30 grams of the water in the cake batter with rum (roughly 2 tablespoons). As for the type of rum, dark rum always works best because it has a richer flavour.
I hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Han
Fatima says
Can I make this as cupcakes?
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi Fatima, yes you can use the cream for cupcakes! Just make sure you make a slightly thicker pastry cream (add 1 teaspoon extra cornstarch), so it can hold its shape well! Alternatively, add more butter into the cream and chill it really well before piping. I hope this helps!
DeeAnna says
Oh my goodness!!! My son requested a bueno cake for his birthday as that is his favorite candy bar and this ended up tasting EXACTLY like a bueno! Thank you so much for the recipe! It was fantastic! It took me most of the day to make all the different components but it was well worth it in the end. I had a question while making it though and curious for next time, the pastry creme says to let it chill for at least two hours (if I remember right) Do you have to let it chill that long before adding in the hazelnut white chocolate mixture, or do you add it in and then let it chill? Thank you for such a wonderful recipe, and thank you for the gram measurements, it makes it so much easier to get accurate measurements.
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi DeeAnna, thank you so much for your lovely comment. I'm so happy to hear your son loved the cake, and Happy Birthday to him! 🥰 I recommend letting the pastry cream cool down before adding the melted chocolate (cooled to room temperature) and hazelnuts into it. If the cream is too hot and you add chocolate into it, the butter in both cream and chocolate can become too 'oily' and either make the entire thing too soft of it can become grainy. You can always make the pastry cream 2-3 days in advance, so the cake preparation time isn't as long. I hope this helps!