If there is one thing I have grown to love, it’s Nutella! The first time I tried it was on toast and that was a mistake. I spent years hating and not eating anything with Nutella. Crazy right?!
One day I started experimenting with Nutella in baked goods and there was no going back. I say all of this to tell you, if you are on the fence about Nutella, try these Nutella Filled Cupcakes and it will change your perspective.
The BEST Nutella Cupcakes Recipe
Watch Me Make These Nutella Filled Cupcakes In Under 1 Minute:
Ingredients in Nutella Cupcakes
This recipe is 3 main elements: fluffy and moist chocolate cupcakes, Nutella filling, a creamy Nutella buttercream, and roasted hazelnuts for decorating. Below are all the ingredients needed and a few suggestions for substituting if needed.
Chocolate Cupcakes:
Nutella Buttercream:
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure it is softened to room temperature or your buttercream will not whip together. If you use salted butter in it’s place, omit the salt below.
- Nutella Hazelnut Spread: see note above.
- Vanilla Extract: see note above.
- Salt: see note above.
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioner’s Sugar): This adds sweetness.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: see note above.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: To add creaminess to the buttercream. This is not always a necessary ingredient, it depends on if you have reached the desired consistency of the buttercream. I tend to add very little cream because I want the buttercream to be more stable.
Equipment Needed
Here are a few basic tools you will need to make these Nutella Filled Cupcakes with ease!
- Cupcake Baking Pan: I love this one. Just make sure what you are using is a light silver pan. Dark and even gold/ bronze colored pans will brown and even burn the cupcakes because of the amount of heat they absorb rather than reflect.
- Baking Cups: Use any color or pattern you prefer. You can also use or make your own parchment cups. I do not recommend using foil lined baking cups, they absorb heat and tend to brown the outside of the cupcake too much.
- Cupcake Corer: I like to use a piping tip because I already have those on hand (you can see how I do it in my YouTube Video). Feel free to use a sharp knife to carve out the centers or use a traditional cupcake corer like this one.
- Piping Bags: I love these ones because they are disposable and a great quality. You can also use reusable piping bags (I don’t use them because I can’t thoroughly clean them and they tend to get greasy).
- Piping Tips: I always use extra large piping tips for cupcakes because they are easier to decorate with and look beautiful every single time (just like the bakery cupcakes).
How to Make Nutella Cupcakes
- Bake the chocolate cupcakes- Whisk together your dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients, and fold the warm coffee into the batter. Divide the batter and bake. Cool them completely before filling and frosting.
- Whip together the Nutella buttercream- Beat together the butter, nutella, salt, and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder. Add heavy whipping cream if necessary and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
- Fill the cupcakes- Remove the centers of the cupcakes (using a knife or round piping tip) and fill with Nutella hazelnut spread.
- Decorate the Nutella Filled Cupcakes– Frost them with a knife or by placing the Nutella buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. Frost and then sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts.
Storing Information:
5 Tips for Better Nutella Filled Cupcakes
- SIFT- If the powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder you are using look a little clumpy, sift it! This is going to help them incorporate so much better than being left the way it is.
- USE ROOM TEMPERATURE INGREDIENTS– This is the key to a successful cupcake! I know it requires some waiting time but it is essential. Room temperature ingredients will incorporate in the batter better which means the cupcake will bake more evenly. It will also result in a super smooth, lump free buttercream.
- PROPERLY MEASURE YOUR FLOUR- Scooping flour straight out of the bag always gives you more flour than what is needed, which means a tough and dry cupcake. To properly measure flour all you have to do is fluff up the flour with a whisk, spoon it into a measuring cup, and level it off. Using a kitchen scale (and toggling to the metric system in the recipe card) is a great option too.
- DON’T OVER BAKE THE CUPCAKE- Because these cupcakes are chocolate it can be hard to tell if they are fully baked. A toothpick test should come out clean or the tops should spring back to the touch. Baking them longer than needed will make for a super dry cupcake.
- MAKE THEM AHEAD OF TIME- This recipe is great for making ahead of time. You can do one of two things: fully decorate the cupcakes ahead of time (up to 3 days in advance) OR prepare the ingredients and decorate later . Prepare and refrigerate the cupcakes and buttercream up to two days in advance. Bring the buttercream to room temperature before decorating the cupcakes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
More Cupcake and Cake Recipes You Might Like:
Nutella Cupcakes
Delicious chocolate cupcakes filled with Nutella and topped with a creamy Nutella buttercream. These Nutella Cupcakes are easy to make and sure to become your go-to cupcake recipe!
EQUIPMENT
- stand mixer or hand mixer - optional
- 12 cavity cupcake baking pan - with baking cups or parchment liners
- cupcake corer - metal
- piping bag - disposable or reusable
- extra large piping tip - I use these ones
INGREDIENTS
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk - room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg - room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup strongly brewed coffee - hot
- ¾ cup Nutella hazelnut spread - for filling cupcakes
- toasted hazelnuts - for cupcake garnish, I use these ones
Nutella Buttercream
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter - room temperature (2 sticks)
- ½ cup Nutella hazelnut spread
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream - cold
INSTRUCTIONS
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 °F and line a 12 cavity muffin tin with baking cups or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Create a "well" in the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Gently begin to whisk the wet ingredients (without pulling in the dry mixture).
- Once the wet ingredients are incorporated together, continue to whisk and pull in the dry ingredients. The batter should be just combined and the dry ingredients absorbed.
- Continue whisking as you slowly add the strongly brewed coffee. Stop mixing the batter once the coffee has been incorporated.
- Divide batter equally into the 12 cavities, filling them 2/3 of the way full.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes. When fully baked a toothpick test should come out clean and they should spring back to the touch.
- Let the chocolate cupcakes cool for 10 minutes before removing from the cupcake baking pan. Cool them on a wire rack until room temperature.
Nutella Buttercream
- On medium-high speed beat together room temperature unsalted butter for 2 to 3 minutes. It should be light in color and smooth.
- Add Nutella hazelnut spread, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on medium speed until fully incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the unsweetened cocoa powder. Beat on low speed until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
- On low speed, alternate adding the measured out powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream. Between each addition scrape down the bowl. Like this: powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, stop and move onto next step.NOTE: If the frosting is too thick, add an additional 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream at a time until desired consistency.
- Using a spatula, fold the Nutella buttercream by hand a few times to smooth it out even more.OPTIONAL: Place the Nutella Buttercream in a large piping bag fitted with an extra large piping tip.
Filling and Decorating the Cupcakes
- Using a large piping tip, cupcake corer, or a sharp knife, remove the core of the cupcakes.
- Fill your cupcakes with one tablespoon of Nutella hazelnut spread. NOTE: Do this by placing the Nutella hazelnut spread in a piping bag with a small amount of the tip cut off OR do this using a small spoon.
- Frost cupcakes with the Nutella Buttercream as desired (with a knife or using a piping bag) and top with toasted hazelnuts.
VIDEO
RECIPE NOTES
Storing Information:
- Room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 7 days.
- Frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap and in an airtight container or reusable bag, for up to 3 months.
Make Ahead Information:
Homemade Buttermilk:
-
For 1/2 cup of whole milk, remove and discard 1/2 tablespoon of the milk. Replace it with either 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Set it aside to sour for at least 10 minutes prior to using.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Tried this recipe?Feel free to share a rating and comment below. Don’t forget to tag me on social media, or use the hashtag #EntirelyElizabeth – I would love to see what you’ve made!
These Nutella cupcakes were pure decadence! I loved the flavor, the frosting and how delicious they were!
Made these nutella cupcakes with the kids and they turned out soooo good! We added sprinkles and marshmallows on top to make it look more festive and fun! Can’t wait to make them again!
Wow, were these tasty! TRUE decadence. The whole family loved them! 🙂
Made a batch of these for a party and they were a total hit! Better than traditional chocolate by a landslide.
I made them for my son’s b-party, and the nutella cupcakes were a huge success. Kids just loved them!
It IS a really easy recipe & my Nutella freak of a granddaughter will absolutely LOVE the ‘surprise’ inside! Not a coffee fan, but thought I would see what all the who hah is about!