Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

by Mele Cotte on December 26, 2010

nocciola/hazelnut

Laying low in recent weeks has been great and the winter break that I am on at the moment has been like a cherry on top of a Sunday. Cooking, baking, cleaning and getting the house in organized order. It’s kind of freeing, really.

Part of the plan for cleaning includes posting all the dishes and desserts that I have been toting from folder to folder on my external drive. Posting the foods that I have enjoyed over the past month will only leave room for more reasons to get in the kitchen! Sounds like a good plan to me, don’t you think?

To begin that cleanse…Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes seem like a great place to start. One of my Christmas memories I spoke about in my last post included sitting around the dinner table with my family, chatting about whatever, cracking roasted nuts, getting excited when someone manages to crack the shell while keeping the nut intact. Upon further thought, I really believe hazelnuts are my favorite nut. In case I waiver on that believe, I just need to look at a sampling of hazelnut/nutella recipes on here!

Truffles
Nutella Flakey Swirls
Apple Pancakes with Nutella Sauce
Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream
Hazelnut Cookies I & Hazelnut Cookies II
Yule Log with Nutella filling
The Danish Bread with Nutella filling
Hazelnut Mousse

Crazy, right? Maybe….but that doesn’t mean I am not going to add even more to the list. These cupcakes are quite pleasing, and will be made again, for sure. One note: They are flat toppers. I need to play around some more to get a dome. Nonetheless, they still taste good.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
½ cup hazelnut spread
2 eggs, room temperature
½ cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla
hazelnuts for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, then turn it down to 350 just prior to baking

In a bowl, whisk the dry ingredients to combine; set aside. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until it is soft, then add sugar. Add hazelnut spread and mix until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until they are well combined. Combine vanilla and milk. Add dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with dry. Beat just to combine. Divide batter among the muffin tins, filling each no more and 2/3. Bake 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. Makes 14-16 cupcakes

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

On this chilly December night these hot chocolate cupcakes sound perfect! This cupcake recipe is courtesy of Babble, a website for parents. Naturally I love that the cupcakes are baked in mugs and actually look like a cup of hot chocolate!

Hot Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cups very hot water or coffee
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, milk, oil and vanilla together. Pour wet ingredients into dry and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Pour in the hot water slowly and continue mixing until the water has just been mixed in.

Pour the batter into heat-safe mugs (6- or 8-ounce size) and place them 1-2″ apart on a sheet pan. Bake 25-30 minutes until center bounces back when touched. Remove from oven on the tray.

Beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Top warm cupcakes with whipped cream and mini marshmallows and serve.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Variations:
*substitute peppermint extract for vanilla
*add in 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne for Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes