Hazelnut Fun Facts:

• Turkey is the largest producer of hazelnuts in the world with approximately 75% of worldwide production.

• Hazelnuts are produced in commercial quantities in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Georgia, Serbia, in the south of the Spanish region of Catalonia, in the UK county of Kent and in the American states of Oregon and Washington.

• The hazelnut became Oregon’s official State Nut in 1989.

• Hazelnut oil, which is not excessively greasy and slightly sweet, can be used for food preparation and cosmetic purposes.

• Hazelnut trees can produce until over 80 years of age.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Enjoy this Hungarian Flourless Hazelnut Cake recipe.

Use #HazelnutCakeDay to post on social media.

HISTORY

Within our research, we were unable to find the creator of National Hazelnut Cake Day.

Hungarian Flourless Hazelnut Cake

Prep:           30m
Cook:          1h
Ready In:     1h

"This cake was traditionally a birthday cake in my friend's home. Her mother is from Hungary and only has this recipe in her head! Now it will be preserved.... Note: hazelnuts may be toasted or untoasted. The skins may be removed or left on."

Ingredients

• 12 ounces hazelnuts
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 6 egg yolks
• 5/8 cup white sugar
• 6 egg whites
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1/8 cup chopped hazelnuts, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Grind hazelnuts until very fine. Add baking powder and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whip the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow in color. Beat in the ground hazelnut mixture.

3. In a separate CLEAN bowl, with a CLEAN whisk, whip the egg whites until stiff. Quickly fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture, then add the remaining whites and fold in until no streaks remain.

4. Pour into a 9 inch springform. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 75 minutes, or until top of cake springs back when lightly tapped. Cool on wire rack.

5. When cake is cool, slice horizontally into 3 layers. Whip the cream until stiff, and spread generously between layers, on top and on the sides of the cake. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top for decoration.