NUTELLA CUPCAKES!!!!

As you may have noticed, it's been a while since my last post.  First, I moved out of my apartment.  Before that, I did make hamburger buns from scratch for the 4th of July. They didn't turn out amazing and weren't anything special, so I ended up not bothering to write a blog about them.  After moving out of my place, I was couch surfing for a couple of months.  Not having regular access to a kitchen, and it being someone else's home, I didn't really do a lot of experimental cooking. Then, mid-September, I moved from Michigan to CALIFORNIA!!!  But, towards the end, I was house sitting for a little over a week.  While there, after a rough day, I made what are now somewhat famous, Nutella Cupcakes!

The cupcake itself is adapted from a recipe here, and the Nutella frosting is adapted from a recipe I found here.  My version makes 6, but they were so popular I made another 6 a few days later.


For the cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 3 Tbsp plus 2 tsp Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda 
• 1/8 tsp Salt
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1 Large Egg
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup Hot Coffee

Mix together the Flour, Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt.  In a separate bowl, beat together the Butter, Egg, and Vanilla until well mixed.  Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and thoroughly combined, being sure to scrape the sides as you do.  Add the Coffee and mix until smooth.  Pour into 6 cupcake cups that have either been greased and floured or lined with paper.  The original directions say to bake for 18-22 minutes on a rack in the lower third of the oven pre-heated to 350 degrees.  It's been so long I don't remember for sure, but I think they turned out perfectly at 18 minutes.  Everyone's oven if different though, so be sure to check them with a toothpick.

Bam!  Delicious, perfectly baked, moist, chocolate cupcakes!

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, soften - not melted
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 oz Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped (slightly melted...?)
• 3 Giant Tbsp Nutella
• 1 1/2 tsp Milk
• Pinch of Salt

The website gives directions using a mixer if you prefer (same for the cupcakes above), but mine was packed away so I did it all by hand. Cream the butter and sugar together until well combined. Stir in the vanilla, then chocolate, making sure they're both mixed in well.  Add the Nutella, Milk, and Salt until well combined and smooth.

All of my cake decorating stuff was packed away as well, but a ziplock bag with a corner cut off works as a pastry bag with round tip.  Just be careful that you're not squeezing too hard and your frosting isn't too thick or the seam of the bag may explode.

Frosted with deliciousness!

I had a few Strawberries in the fridge that I needed to use up, so I fanned them out on top.  And, Voilà!

Not only did baking make me feel better, but I think it made the day better for everyone that ate one!