I loved my Kinder Bueno cake so much that I wanted to make Kinder Bueno cupcakes!

They’re made with moist chocolate cupcakes, creamy hazelnut mousse filling, and fluffy chocolate hazelnut buttercream.

They are just as good as they sound and are a total crowd pleaser!

Let’s Make These Kinder Bueno Cupcakes Together

Let’s walk through each step of these Kinder Bueno cupcakes to make sure they turn out as amazing as possible! I’ve also shared a video tutorial below.

Step #1: Make the Hazelnut Mousse Filling

Make the hazelnut mousse filling first so that it has time to set.

This can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge.

Add the white chocolate chips and heavy cream in a medium-sized, heat-proof bowl.

Heat the mixture in the microwave, then let it sit for a minute. Stir until combined with a rubber spatula. The white chocolate should be completely melted, and the mixture should be smooth.

Mix in the hazelnut paste or Nutella into the white chocolate mixture and stir until combined. Set aside.

Add the remaining heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of fine salt in a medium-sized bowl.

Mix on high speed until you can see texture around the edges of the bowl.

The whipped cream should be thick and able to keep its shape.

Gently fold the hazelnut white chocolate mixture into the whipped cream using a rubber spatula.

Cover the mousse with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.

If you use Nutella instead of hazelnut paste, the mousse will look darker in color.

Step #2: Bake the Chocolate Cupcakes

Next, bake the chocolate cupcakes! If you want to make these with a vanilla base, use my vanilla cupcake recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan.

Pour the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and fill them about 2/3 full.

Bake for about 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Step #3: Make the Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream

While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the chocolate hazelnut buttercream.

I like to stir the buttercream by hand with a rubber spatula once it’s fully made. This makes the frosting silky smooth and easier pipe on each cupcake.

This frosting can also be made in advance if needed and kept in the fridge for up to a month.

Place the frosting into a large piping bag fit with a Wilton 1M frosting tip.

Step #4: Fill and Frost These Kinder Bueno Cupcakes

The last step is to fill and decorate these cupcakes! Remove the center of each cupcake and fill it with white chocolate hazelnut mousse.

Pipe a large swirl of chocolate hazelnut buttercream on top of each cupcake with a Wilton 1M frosting tip.

Drizzle some melted white chocolate and warm Nutella over the top of each cupcake, then sprinkle with shortbread cookie crumbs.

Top with a mini Kinder Bueno bar and enjoy!

Substitutions and Swaps – Chocolate Cupcakes

Now that we’ve covered how to make these Kinder Bueno cupcakes, let’s talk about the ingredients!!

This recipe use quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand.

Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered. Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make.

• Chocolate Chips – You can use milk, dark or semi-sweet chocolate to make these chocolate cupcakes! Just be sure it’s a good quality chocolate so it will melt down smoothly.
• Instant Espresso or Coffee – You can omit the instant espresso if needed, but it really enhances the chocolate and hazelnut flavor in these cupcakes.
• All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend if needed.
• Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar as it will change the texture of these cupcakes.
• Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or sunflower oil would work great!
• Large Eggs – If you have an egg allergy you can try using 2 flaxseed eggs or a vegan egg replacer like this one made by Bob’s Red Mill.
• Vinegar – This recipe needs a bit of vinegar because it uses baking soda as a leavening agent. The vinegar activates the baking soda and helps the cupcakes rise. You can also use white or apple cider vinegar.

Substitutions and Swaps – Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Hazelnut Paste – To really make these cupcakes taste like Kinder Bueno, you have to use hazelnut paste in the frosting and mousse filling!! I order mine online. If you can’t get your hands on hazelnut paste, Nutella can be used in its place.
• Heavy Cream – Whipping cream, coconut cream or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat, coconut) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• Vanilla Extract – Other extracts can also be used in place of the vanilla extract if needed.

Tips for Making the Best Kinder Bueno Cupcakes

• Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Mix your cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
• Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure your cupcakes end up being the same height.
• To really make these cupcakes taste like a Kinder Bueno bar, you have to use hazelnut paste in the frosting and mousse filling!! I order mine online.
• Seal off the top the piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from coming out the top of the bag and make the piping bags easier to use.

Making These Kinder Bueno Cupcakes in Advance & Storing Them

You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a few hours or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container. However, they taste best when they’re freshly baked!

These cupcakes can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to fill and frost them until they’re thawed.

You can also make your buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. The buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

You can also store buttercream in piping bags in the fridge. I find they keep their consistency well in piping bags and don’t require any mixing after they’ve thawed.

Let Me Know What You Think

If you make these Kinder Bueno cupcakes, I’d love to hear what you think of them! Please leave a rating below.

Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media.

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