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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Chocolate Frangelico Cupcakes w/ Nutella SMBC


This month I decided to join the fun of Cupcake Hero! If you don't know what it is, CLICK HERE for details! In a nutshell, Laurie from Quirky Cupcake chooses a theme ingredient each month. You have to use the ingredient in either the cupcake, filling, frosting or all three if you're crazy like that. The winning recipe gets a cool Cupcake Hero t-shirt, and this month, a surprise gift from Tempered Woman.

The theme ingredient for February is liquor. I browsed my parents liquor cabinet, got a buzz from sniffing a bunch of bottles, and eventually made a slightly uninhibited decision to use Frangelico hazelnut liqueur. I knew it would pair well with the new jar of Nutella relaxing in my kitchen cabinet (the very first jar of Nutella I've ever had, by the way). I used the recipe for Kahlúa cupcakes from Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella, but I replaced the Kahlua with Frangelico. Then I made the most delicious frosting to ever come out of a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. No lie. I challenge anyone to make a more luscious frosting. I have 3 words for you: AIN'T... GONNA... HAPPEN! I started with Swiss Meringue Buttercream, then added about 1/2 a jar of Nutella. Hahahahaha ohhh it's so good it makes me giggle!

ingredientsfolding the egg whites into the batter smooth yummy batter!cooling on my new stackable racks I got for $6 at Big Lots! Here they are, and THEY ARE GOOD!
Chocolate Frangelico Cupcakes (adapted from Crazy About Cupcakes)
Makes 24-28 cupcakes

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, + 1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.


2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, cocoa, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, 3-5 minutes. Add egg yolks and beat for 4 minutes.
3. In a small bowl mix water and Frangelico.
4. In another large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternating with the Frangelico mixture. Mix on medium speed until ingredients are almost combined.
6. With clean beaters and a large bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to make a meringue. With a rubber spatula, fold the meringue into the batter.
7. Fill the cupcake liners 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes. Finish cooling on wire rack.

Nutella Swiss Meringue Buttercream (my own recipe)
Makes about 4 cups (enough to generously frost 24 cupcakes)


4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks), softened, cut into tablespoons
1/2 jar of Nutella (about 1/2 - 2/3 cup)


Put egg whites and sugar into the top of a double boiler over a pan of simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm (about 160 degrees). Pour heated egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg white mixture on high speed until it forms stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until fluffy and cooled, about 7 minutes total. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low, add butter two tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase speed to medium-high; continue beating until frosting appears thick, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add Nutella a few tablespoons at a time and continue beating until incorporated.

18 comments:

CB said...

oh that sounds heavenly! Great job! I don't think I'll enter this month. I think you got me beat ;)
-Clara

Amy said...

I recently subscribed to your blog on Google reader. I have to say, I love reading your recipes and cupcake ideas! :)

Tempered Woman said...

ok- this is starting to get insane! How does Laurie do this ever freakin month?
Those cupcakes look absolutely fab and I feel the need to make absolutely everybody's cupcakes. My monkey is a diehard nutella fanatic.
Maybe the problem is my obsession with cucpakes is rivaled only by my obsession with drinking. ACK!
Awesome entry!

tired of it all said...

Oh. Wow. I must try this recipe, stat! Nutella is quite possibly one of my favorite splurges at the grocery store!

Unknown said...

This looks delish!
I'd love to try the frosting...

CB said...

Your cupcake has been chosen for ATC's Weekly Cupcake Collection! Click the link to see more. Looking forward to your next cupcake creation!

http://tinyurl.com/3d9htw

Anonymous said...

Wow I am so trying that frosting this week once i have smuggled Nutella into the house!

Anonymous said...

Can you clarify your sugar use? Your ingredients call for 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, + 1/4 cup sugar, granulated sugar is the same as just sugar right?

Then in your cupcake recipe you say first use 1 1/2 cups sugar then later add 1/4 cup sugar. So that's more sugar than your recipe originally calls for.

For those of us that don't have double boilers, is there another way to make the frosting? Thanks.

How To Eat A Cupcake said...

Anonymous, sorry that was a typo. It's 1 1/4 cups sugar + 1/4 cups sugar. Granulated sugar is plain sugar.

If you don't have a double boiler you can use a sauce pan with about 1/2 inch simmering water with a glass bowl sitting over BUT NOT TOUCHING the water in the pan. That's what I use. :) There is a picture of it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilafffalot/2311401732/

Eunice said...

oh my, why didn't I chance upon your website before I had the nutella order!! I made some absolutely delicious ones, but these look awesome too!!

i love your site! can't believe I just found it!

steaky diane said...

yummmm.... http://familypies.blogspot.com/2008/06/boozy-birthday-baking.html

Anonymous said...

That's nice and all, but your cupcake recipe doesn't even call for Nutella. I think pretty much anyone can make up chocolate cake, and add Frangelico. The only thing that makes this Nutella cake is the frosting. Not what I would call original by any means.

How To Eat A Cupcake said...

Anonymous, if you wanna suck it you can. I didn't call it a Nutella cupcake. Read blog post titles carefully.

Susan said...

Thank you so much for this frosting recipe! I made it today for topping plain ol' chocolate cupcakes, and it elevated them to truly something special! :)

Anonymous said...

Buyer Beware! Have you noticed the NEW label on Frangelico? “Product of Italy” as opposed to “Original Hazelnut Liqueur”? Have you noticed the NEW taste? Something akin to syrup. C&C group has destroyed the product. Before you ivest heavily this season on cooking or serving, better check it out. NOT the Frangelico we grew up with!!!

Allie said...

Yum, nutella and buttercream, I'll definitely have to try this one!

and p.s. that anonymous comment above is outrageous! why post anything if you can't be nice! awful.

Julie said...

I made the Nutella buttercream tonight and it was a HUGE hit. The last time I tried to make a Nutella frosting, it was an American buttercream and the powdered sugar just killed the taste completely. The Swiss buttercream really allows the Nutella flavor to shine through and it's so light it just melts in your mouth. Thank you SO much!

Anonymous said...

Wow! Definitely the BEST buttercream I've ever made!! Thanks!!