Nutella Strawberry Cupcakes (adapted from cakebycourtney.com)
A rich, dark-chocolate hazelnut cupcake, filled with strawberrycream, topped with Nutella buttercream and a chocolate dipped strawberry. Plus a gluten-free option!
Servings: 24
Equipment
- Muffin Tins and Cupcake Liners
- or Cake Cups and baking sheet
- Cake Decorating Bag and Wilton 1M Decorating Tip
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcake Batter:
- 1 ¾ cups plus 2 TBS (225g) all-purpose flour (or (272g) Cup4Cup Gluten Free Multi-Purpose Flour Blend)
- 2 cups minus 2 TBS (375g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cups (89g) good quality dark cocoa powder (Brute extra dark)
- 2 tsp (8g) baking soda
- ¾ tsp (3g) baking powder
- 1 tsp (5.6g) kosher salt
- 1 cup 240g buttermilk (or 180g plain Greek yogurt + 180g milk—stirred) room temperature
- ½ cup (109g) canola oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp (4.2g) hazelnut emulsion or extract
- 1 cup (236g) hot water
Strawberry Cream Filling:
- ¼ cups (8g) freeze dried strawberries (no substitutions)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (230g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup Fresh strawberries finely chopped
Chocolate Nutella Buttercream:
- 1 ½ cup (339g) unsalted butter slightly cold
- 1 cup (284g) Nutella hazelnut spread
- 5 cups (625g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- ¼ cup (57.75g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp (13g) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (3.25g) hazelnut emulsion or extract
Instructions
Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Fill muffin tins with cupcake liners or use cake cups on a baking sheet.
- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down edges as needed to completely mix dry ingredients.
- In another bowl, combine buttermilk (or substitute), oil, eggs (slightly beaten), vanilla and hot water.
- With mixer on low speed, slowly add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients already in the mixer. When all wet ingredients have been added, stop and scrape down the edges and bottom. Continue to mix on low speed until combined. Stop and scrape edges and bottom and fold ingredients until mixed. This batter is very liquidy. That’s how it is supposed to be!
- Fill cupcake liner ½ full – ⅔ full depending on how high you want the cupcakes to rise to the top of the liners (Lean towards ½ full). This batter has a lot of rise to it.
- Bake at 325° F for 18-22 minutes or until top of cupcake bounces back when touched.
- Let cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tins. Remove and continue cooling on a wire rack.
Strawberry Cream Filling:
- In food processor (not mixer): Pulse freeze dried strawberries until it resembles powder.
- Add sugar and cream. Scrape down the sides of the food processor to incorporate freeze dried fruit.
- Pulse food processor for about 1-2 minutes, or until the texture resembles Greek yogurt. Keep chilled until ready to use.
- Fold finely chopped strawberries into the strawberry cream just before filling cupcakes.
Chocolate Nutella Buttercream:
- Combine the butter and the Nutella in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes or until fluffy and lighter in color.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar, a little at a time until incorporated. Scrape the edges and bottom of the bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients and beat slowly at first. Scrape down edges and bottom of bowl again. Then beat on medium-high for 5 minutes, until fluffy and light in texture.
- Use a wooden spoon or silicon spatula to stir and press air bubbles out for a few minutes.
Assemble Nutella Strawberry Cupcakes:
- With a cupcake corer or a spoon or a knife, cut a hole into the center of the cupcake that doesn’t reach all the way to the bottom. Use a spoon to fill cupcakes with the strawberry filling. Because of the chunkiness of the diced strawberries, use a butter knife to press strawberries and filling into the center hole in the cupcake to make sure the entire space is filled.
- Use cake decorating bag and tip (Wilton 1M) to decorate tops of cupcakes with the Chocolate Nutella Frosting. Start on top outside edge of cupcake and swirl around the entire edge, then continue to swirl into the center until the frosting resembles a soft serve ice cream cone.
Extra décor:
- Melt chocolate candy melts or chocolate chips. Drizzle melted chocolate onto chocolate frosting. Cut a fresh strawberry into halves. Tuck one half into the frosting. Or dip a whole fresh strawberry into melted chocolate and tuck a chocolate dipped strawberry into the frosting.