Nutella-Filled Hazelnut Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream Frosting

“I’ve had a few cupcakes in my life, but these are by far the best!”   That’s an actual quote from last Friday night’s Charity Concert at Paulie’s in Pleasantville, where I brought about a dozen of these little bad boys to help celebrate Next Music Show’s 6th birthday.   If you weren’t there, you missed out on the cupcakes and a great night of music!  If you’re feeling like you missed out (and you should, because you did), the next Charity Concert night is June 8.  In the meantime, here’s the recipe for the cupcakes if you’d like to try them.

Sorry about not uploading pictures.   I’m still having issues with my camera that I hope will be resolved soon, like tonight, as my daughter has her first Band Concert!  Thanks for reading and leave a comment, let me know what you think, what else you’d like to see, etc.

 

Nutella-Filled Hazelnut Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream Frosting

(recipe adapted from a Baked In recipe)

For the cupcake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp Hazelnut Liquor

1 cup buttermilk***

Nutella, for the filling

***I didn’t have buttermilk so I used this substitute.  Squeeze juice of one lemon into a measuring cup then add one cup of regular milk. Let sit in the fridge for about 5 minutes, then use to substitute for the one cup of buttermilk.

For the frosting:

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup Nutella

2 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tbsp milk

 

Preheat oven to 350.  Line two muffins pans of 12 with paper liners and set aside.  This batter will actually make a bit more than 24 cupcakes because you will not be filling the muffin pans to the top.  So you will need an extra muffin pan (or wait until the original cupcakes cool) and extra paper liners.

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together and set aside.

Beat eggs and sugar on medium speed for a couple of minutes, until light in color and thick.   Then add oil, hazelnut liquor, and buttermilk.  Then beat until combined, about one minute.  Add the flour mixture to this and beat until it’s all combined, about two to three minutes.

Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups.  The original recipe suggested they be filled 2/3 of the way; I am recommending only filling them 1/2 way because they do expand when cooking.  Bake for about 18 minutes, or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Cool in the muffin pans for about 8-10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cool, use a paring knife or teaspoon to cut out a cone in the center of each cupcake.  Be careful not to cut through the bottom of the cupcake.  Fill with 1/2 tsp of Nutella.  If you scooped out the cupcake neatly enough you can put the top back on the filling.  I didn’t put the top back on, but the frosting covered the opening so you couldn’t tell. (And it obviously didn’t impact the quality or taste of the cupcake!)

To make the frosting, beat together the Nutella and butter until creamy.  Then alternate adding one cup of powdered sugar, beating well, then one tbsp of milk.   If after 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 tbsp of milk you think the frosting is too thick for your liking, add another tbsp of milk.   Frost the tops of the cupcakes and enjoy!