Nutella Cupcakes

Last week was Teacher Appreciation week.  Of course K's favorite day is "bring something sweet".  We had a hard time deciding what we were going to make.  We new it was going to be a cupcake of some sort and though she is not much of a chocolate fan, I convinced her into letting me make the Nutella cupcake.  Nutella is something I could just eat with a spoon it's so delicious.  In the past I have made Nutella cookies and Nutella molten lava, but not cupcakes.  I will definitely be adding this to my list of favorites.  Indulge!

NUTELLA CUPCAKES

(Adapted slightly from My Baking Addiction)

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

1 package devil’s food cake mix

1 package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon instant espresso granules dissolved in ½ cup warm water

½ cup Nutella

FOR THE NUTELLA FROSTING

(Adapted slightly from Pioneer Woman’s, “The Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had”)

5Tablespoons Flour

½ cup milk

½ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)

½ cup Nutella

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tin with paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, Nutella and espresso water mixture.  Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined.

Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 tins, about 3 tablespoons of batter per tin.  

Bake in a preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched.  Allow cupcakes to cool .

FOR THE NUTELLA FROSTING

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and cream, stirring constantly until it thickens.  You will want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix more like brownie mix.  Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.  It must be completely cool before you use it.  Stir in vanilla

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter, sugar and Nutella until light and fluffy.  Then add the cooled flour mixture and beat the living daylights out of it.  If it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough.  Beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Grab a spoon and taste this wonderful goodness.  If there is any left after your taste test, pipe onto your cupcakes finish with a piece of Chocolate with hazelnuts.  Indulge!