Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Nutella Frosting

Oh heeyyy!  I missed you guys after my little winter break.  How have you been!?  I thought to make up for my lack of posting I would come at you with something fantastic.  Something chocolate.  Something dreamy.  How about Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Nutella Frosting?  Yeah, that should fit the bill.  You will forget about my absence the moment you sink your teeth into these little chocolate pillows of heaven.  

They couldn't be easier to make!  These little babies start off with my mom's Crazy Chocolate Cake and are generously topped with Rosie's Nutella Cloud Frosting.  Let's just say, this is a match made in chocolate heaven.  Perfect for that upcoming holiday that involves hearts and pink and love.  I love that holiday.   

Start with some flour in a large bowl

Pour in some sugar

Cocoa powder

Baking soda

Salt

Cold water

Canola or vegetable oil

Vinegar

And vanilla.

That's it!  Just give it a quick stir

And pour it into a muffin tin lined with liners.  These adorable ones are from my co-worker Amy and they are from last spring.  Wilton makes them.

Pop them in the oven at 350 for about 17-18 minutes or so.  Remove from the tin and let cool while you work on the frosting.

I forgot to take my butter out so I cut it up in to little pieces so it came to room temp quicker.  Just a little tip for ya.

Then I got to work on melting some chocolate.

I like to do that in the microwave in 30 second intervals on high.

Every 30 seconds take it out and give it a good stir.

Until you have a nice smooth consistency.  When it almost looks completely melted, keep stirring and stirring until all of the chocolate chips have melted.   Then set the chocolate aside to cool.

Pop the room temperature butter into the bowl of a stand mixer

Along with the powdered sugar

Give it a quick mix

Pour in the vanilla and give it a really good whip.

It will come together better after the vanilla like so.

Pour in the chocolate and give it a good whip again.

Now we are talking.  Silky goodness.

But just wait, then you add the Nutella.

And salt

Mix again and there you have it!  That is some seriously silky, fluffy Nutella frosting.

Line a large glass with your piping bag and fill it up!

Naked cuppies are waiting!

Give them a good frost

And obviously some sprinkles.

How cute are these flower cupcake wrappers!?

But behold the true beauty.

That is some serious chocolate business. 

And I like it.


Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Nutella Frosting 
(makes 12 cupcakes)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Start with preheating the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and stir, just until combined.  It is okay if you see some clumps, they cook out.

Scoop or pour the batter into a lined cupcake tin and place in the oven.  Bake the cupcakes for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Mine took exactly 17 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool, I took mine out and let them cool on a wire cooling rack.  Set aside for now.

Whipped Nutella Frosting

1 cup of room temperature butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup Nutella
1 pinch of salt

Start by melting the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals.  After each 30 seconds, take the chocolate out, stir and reassess if it is completely melted.  Mine took 3 intervals of 30 seconds on high.  Set the chocolate aside for now.

Add the butter and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer.  Combine on a low speed for about 1 minute.  Pour in the vanilla and combine again, it will come together better now that it has more moisture.

Pour in the cooled, melted chocolate and beat together on medium speed for about a minute or until combined.  Scrape the sides.  Sprinkle in the salt and give it a good mix on medium speed again and that's it!

Frost the cupcakes by either using a piping bag or simply with a knife.

Enjoy!!!!



Chocolate Cake recipe cut in half from my mom's Chocolate Crazy Cake Recipe 

Whipped Nutella Frosting recipe very slightly adapted from Rosie at Sweetapolita