Nutella Cupcakes
 
 
Nutella lovers rejoice! Hazelnut cupcakes filled with a dollop of Nutella and topped with airy Nutella buttercream.
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
  • For the Cupcakes:
  • 2½ cups (340g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp (5g) baking powder
  • ½ tsp (2.5g) baking soda
  • ½ tsp (2.5g) kosher or sea salt
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 cups (410g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (237mL) vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbsp (30mL) Frangelico or hazelnut liqueur
  • 1 cup (237mL) buttermilk
  • Nutella, for filling
  • For the Frosting:
  • 4 large egg whites (about 8 Tbsp/120mL)
  • 1¼ cup (250g) granulated sugar
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup (115mL) Nutella
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.
  2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. In another mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar on medium speed until thick and pale, about two minutes. Turn off mixer and add oil, Frangelico, and buttermilk. Beat on medium speed for about one minute. Add flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, about two minutes.
  4. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, filling each cup about ⅔ full. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for five minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely.
  5. To make the frosting, fill a medium saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk egg whites and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Rest the mixer bowl over the saucepan, whisking constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is thick and glossy (note: to completely pasteurize the egg whites, they must be heated to 140 degrees).
  6. Remove mixer bowl from heat and place on stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until cooled and the egg whites hold stiff peaks, about 8 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment and add the butter two tablespoons at a time. Beat until fluffy and smooth, about 3-5 minutes, or longer if necessary. At some point during this process the mixture will turn into a curdled, soupy mess. As a direct result, you will briefly lose your will to live, but fear not - continue beating, and it will come back together. Add Nutella and beat until fully incorporated.
  7. Using a paring knife, remove a small cone from the middle of each cupcake (it is up to you what you do with the removed middles - I throw them away, using my mouth as the garbage can). Fill each cupcake cavity with ½ - 1 teaspoon of Nutella. Frost and serve.
Notes
If not serving within 12 hours or so of baking, store in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Recipe by Baked In at https://www.baked-in.com/2012/03/17/nutella-cupcakes/