Cupcake with Nutella Buttercream

Hey everyone. Sorry it's been ages since my last update, but I have been super busy and haven't had too much time for baking. I made these cupcakes last night, and let me tell you, I am a fan. I don't know why, but for some reason I had been thinking about baking with Nutella earlier in the week. Then I thought "Hey, I wonder if I can make a Nutella buttercream" and I totally could! It's really easy and came out really delicious.



For Vanilla Cupcakes (Magnolia Bakery recipe):

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I always add extra vanilla. I love it.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in 4 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

For the buttercream, I basically took a normal frosting recipe and added Nutella. I had a little trouble with the consistency, so you might have to play around until you get to to how you like. Mine was a little too thick, so perhaps you can leave out some sugar. I just added more milk and it worked out fine. Spreading was a little tough because the cupcakes are so tender, so I switched to a piping bag halfway through. Anyways, without further ado...

Nutella Buttercream:

1/2 (1 stick)Butter, softened
4 cups (1lb) confectioners' sugar
1/4 + extra Milk ( I used 2%)
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2-3/4 cup Nutella (This was tricky. I started with about a 1/4 cup, decided it didn't taste enough like Nutella, and added more. I think I was closer to 3/4 cups)

Cream the butter in a large bowl. Add 3 cups of the sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in the milk and the vanilla, and gradually beat in the remaining cup of sugar. Heat the Nutella in a microwave safe bowl for about 20-25 seconds, until it is smooth and spreadable. Fold into your frosting. If it's too stiff after this (like mine was) add some more milk to soften it up. Frost cupcakes and enjoy!