RECIPE: Nutella-filled Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

Hello again friends! Long time. Long time.

I have broken my blog fast (not a thing) to bring you these wondrous cupcakes, sent down from actual heaven above. They literally floated down from the cloudless sky on a heart-shaped board, accompanied by a choir of singing cherubs. For reals. 

Only joking. The sky isn't cloudless. This is the British summer, people.

But seriously, these are the Ryan Gosling of the cupcake world. 

 Dreamy. 

Nutella on Nutella on Nutella.

And here's how to make them.

Ingredients (makes ~12):

For the cupcakes:

• 100g plain flour 
• 20g cocoa powder
• 140g caster sugar
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 20g ground hazelnuts
• 40g butter (room temp.)
• 120ml milk
• 1 egg
• Nutella (enough for a dollop per cupcake - precise, I know.)

For the frosting:

• 180g cream cheese (1 pack of Philadelphia)
• 100g Nutella*
• Chopped hazelnuts (to decorate)

*It's up to you how Nutella-y you want the frosting, so just taste it as you go along. I know it's tough, but it's the sacrifice you have to make. Now go and lick the bowl.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 C.
2. Line a cupcake tray with 12 cupcake cases.
3. Sift the flour and cocoa powder and put into a large mixing bowl with the sugar, baking powder, salt, ground hazelnuts and butter and beat together with an electric whisk (or a KitchenAid, if you're fancy).
   
4. Pour the milk into the mixture, whisking slowly as you go.
   
5. Add the egg, and mix again.
6. Spoon a tablespoon of mixture into each case, followed by a dollop of Nutella, followed by a dollop of cake mixture.
   
   
   

   

   You're welcome.

   
   
   
7. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
8. Leave them to cool on a cooling rack (because that's what they're for).
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. While the cakes are cooling, mix together the cream cheese and Nutella to make the frosting.
10. Smooth the frosting onto each cupcake and finish with a sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts. 
    

Now go forth, and bake your very own Ryan Gosling. (Ok not quite, but this might be the closest we'll ever get.)

Holly x

Adapted from 'The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook'