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.