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The Ultimate Nutella Cupcake

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In honor of National Nutella Day (February 5th), I decided to create the ULTIMATE Nutella Cupcake Recipe.

The amount of Nutella used is a bit aggressive, but I feel like you can never have too much . I made my favorite chocolate cupcake base (adapted from the Brown Eyed Baker), filled with a candied hazelnut filling, and topped with a Nutella Buttercream.

And because there wasn’t already enough chocolate hazelnut goodness, I threw a Ferrero Rocher on top. These cupcakes are the epitome of all things Nutella 😀

Chocolate Cupcake Base:

  • 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cup hot coffee
  • 1 1/2 cup bread flour
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Candied Hazelnut Filling:

  • 3/4 cup candied hazelnuts, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup Nutella
  • 3/4 cup cream
  • pinch of salt

Nutella Buttercream:

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup Nutella
  • 1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • pinch of salt

Yield: 24 large cupcakes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 18 minutes per batch

Cool Time: 1 hour

Assembly Time: 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size cupcake pan with liners. Place the chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl.

Pour the hot coffee over the mixture, and whisk together until smooth. Set the mixture in the fridge for 5 minutes to cool. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla extract into the cooled chocolate-coffee mixture until smooth.

Gradually add the flour mixture, and whisk until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin pan cups, filling them about 2/3 full. Bake until the cupcakes are set and just firm to the touch, 17 to 19 minutes.

Cool the cupcakes in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

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While the cupcakes cool, make the candied hazelnut filling. Place the heavy cream in a sauce pan. Heat at a low heat, until the milk is warm to the touch.

Add in the Nutella, and whisk until smooth. Gently fold in the candied hazelnuts. Refrigerate until just barely chilled (10 minutes).

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While the ganache cools, whip together the Nutella Buttercream. Cream the butter, until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Slowly add in the powdered sugar, and continue mixing until well blended. 

Add in the salt, vanilla, and half of the heavy cream. Reserve 1/4 of the frosting in a separate bowl, then add in the Nutella.

Blend on low-speed, and add additional cream until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high-speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

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When the cupcakes have cooled, hollow out the center of each cupcake (1 inch diameter). Fill with a tablespoon of the hazelnut filling.

Pipe on the Nutella buttercream using a large round tip. Using the reserved vanilla buttercream, pipe a swirl of frosting on top of the Nutella buttercream, using a  star tip.

If desired, drizzle warmed Nutella over the frosting. Top each cupcake with a truffle. And TAH DAH! More Nutella than you could dream of.

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kloesunny

Saturday 8th of February 2014

You are ambitious! They look wonderful. What a labor of love for your co-workers. (or baking addiction??????)

Noahscookin

Thursday 6th of February 2014

was there a purpose to the mini cupcakes?

Chelsweets

Thursday 6th of February 2014

I usually bring my treats into work, and my clients like the option of having a smaller treat! So I usually make a few mini cupcakes for people who don't want to indulge in a big cupcake. I didn't fill the mini cupcakes, or put a truffle on top, but they still tasted great!