Nutella Cupcakes

Well would you look at that! 

Has my favourite toast topping found it's way into my butter cream? 

I think it has, and let me tell you...it is AMAZING!!!

Not only are they amazing, but they are so simple to make and require very few ingredients.

Sit back and enjoy as I talk you through this delicious recipe that you can try at home.

Lets start with what you'll need:

Equipment

- Electric mixer (you can use a hand mixer but it may take longer)

- Mixing bowl (if you don't have a stand mixer with a bowl attached)

- Measuring cups and/or weighing scales

- Jug

- 12 space muffin tin

- Muffin cases (good, strong quality)

- Piping bag and nozzle

Ingredients

For the chocolate sponge:

- 110g of Self Raising flour

- 20g of cocoa powder (good quality like Bournville)

- 140g of caster sugar

- 40g of unsalted butter (room temperature)

- 120ml whole milk

- 1 egg

- 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)

- a pinch of salt

For the Nutella buttercream:

- 230g unsalted butter (room temperature-take out before baking sponge)

- 250g icing sugar

- 10 tablespoons Nutella

- 70 ml of double cream (if mixture too dry, add more)

- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas mark 3

2. Put the muffin cases in the tin

3. Sieve the flour cocoa powder and salt into the bowl

4. Add sugar and butter and mix together using electric mixer, until you get a sandy texture.

5. Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla together in a jug, then pour half into the bowl with the dry mixture, beat together until combined on a high speed to remove any lumps.

6. Turn the mixer down to a low speed and add the remaining milk and egg mixture, remembering to scrape down the sides with a spatula.  Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until smooth.

7. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until half-two thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the sponge bounces back when tapped, or a cocktail stick inserted into the middle should come out clean.

8. Remove from the cakes from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

They should look something like this!

For the buttercream;

1. Beat the softened butter on a medium speed with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until creamy.

2. Sieve in 250g of icing sugar and continue to mix on a medium speed, it should be quite thick.

3. Add the Nutella and vanilla and continue to beat.

4. Add the double cream and mix for another 30 secs-1 minute. (if the mixture is too thick add more cream 1 tablespoon at a time.  If too thin add more icing sugar a spoon at a time). 

5. Add the buttercream to the piping bag and pipe onto the top of the cakes.

Sit back, relax and enjoy!

I hope you have as much fun making these beauties as I did!

After all you can never have enough Nutella in your life!

Let me know if you have any recipe requests you'd like me to do, in the comment box below :D

Enjoy!