Hazelnut Chocolate Cupcakes

Two words. Hazelnut. Chocolate. YUMMM!!!!  This chocolate heaven cupcake is filled with hazelnut and chocolate sauce and covered with hazelnut icing... salivating yet?! I am!! Yesterday, well these last 8 months really, have been soo unbelievably stressful while waiting to see if I get into medical school this year.  Since I find out sometime in the next two weeks, saying the stress is getting to me is beyond an understatement.  SO, what do I do when I am stressed?? I bake, I bake, I bake until I am completely covered in flour, and my cute strawberry slippers are flat from me standing up so long.  It's amazing I am not 1,000 lbs... seriously, thank you God for inventing BodyPump!!  So if you are stressed this weekend, or if you, like me, just have a LOVE for anything and everything chocolate, bake these... you won't be disappointed. (Oh! guess where this recipe is from???... yep, Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook... a-m-a-z-i-n-g)

Picture from the book

Ingredients:
3/4 cup + 1T all-pupose flour
2.5 T unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
3 T unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 cup of milk (I always use skim)
1 egg
1/2 cup hazelnut and chocolate spread (aka nutella)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 325.  Put flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in a mixer with paddle attachment (or handheld electric whisk).  Beat at slow speed until all is incorporated and mixture appears sandy.

2.  Slowly pour milk into the flour mixture, beat until all mixed.  Add egg and beat well.  Scrape down the sides and then mix again.

3.  Spoon batter until 2/3 full in pre-lined cupcake pan (recipe makes exactly 12 cupcakes).  Bake for 20 mins, or until center bouces back when touched and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool for a few mins in the pan, then remove cupcakes and cool completely on drying rack.

4.  When cupcakes are completely cool, hollow out a small section in the center of each cupcake and fill with a dollop of Nutella.  I used a circular cookie cutter, pushed it down a few centimeters, then pulled it back up.  Then used a knife to remove the section.

Removing a center.  Cupcake on left already has filling.

Small area only removed!

Hazelnut and Chocolate Frosting:
1.  Beat 2 cups sugar and 5T unsalted, room temp butter in a mixer with paddle attachment on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together.

2.  Turn mixer to a slower speed, add 2 T milk.  Once milk is incorporated, turn mixer on high and mix until it is light and fluffy (at least 5 mins).  The longer you mix the lighter and fluffier it will be.

3.  Stir in 1/3 cup Nutella spread by hand until evenly mixed into the frosting.  Spoon onto the cupcakes only after they have completely cooled.  Serve with 3 hazelnuts on each and enjoy!!!

Yummy, yummy cupcakes!!

Happy Baking!!!