Hazelnut cupcakes with Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting
The absolute perfect year-round treat for Nutella lovers! Works as a birthday dessert, an afternoon snack with a cup of hot coffee, or anything in-between.
I kid you not, when I first made these cupcakes and took the first taste, I announced, “I think this is the best thing I’ve ever made” Some time went by and I wondered if I was just being dramatic but when I made them again, I confirmed that the statement was, in fact, true. These are the perfect cupcakes.
I should admit that my top favorite ice cream flavor of all time is hazelnut gelato and I could eat chocolate hazelnut spread by the spoonful so I’m, of course, the prime demographic for this flavor profile but even my friends and family who are less hazelnut obsessed approve!
And everyone will love that this original recipe is quick and easy. Though you will want an electric mixer for the frosting, you don’t even need a stand mixer or a hand mixer for the cupcake batter! I prefer to measure powdered sugar with a kitchen scale and to use a piping bag for the chocolate hazelnut buttercream frosting but neither are required to make this recipe so you likely have all of the tools you need on hand!
Even though this nutella cupcake recipe is simple, the unique flavor makes it work well for special occasions. The only real uncommon or unique ingredient is hazelnut flour which you can likely find at your local grocery store, no need to visit a specialty foods store! Hazelnut flour will help enhance that overall chocolate hazelnut flavor and will help prevent dry cupcakes since nuts (and, therefore, nut flours) have naturally occurring oils.
We’ll top the hazelnut cupcakes with my fluffy Nutella buttercream frosting. You can find that recipe here but I’ve also included it in the recipe card so that you don’t have to print out or reference multiple recipes!
Of course, feel no pressure to use brand-name Nutella. I have started experimenting with alternative brands that contain better ingredients but are still allergy-friendly for those with peanut and other nut allergies (a combination has been surprisingly hard to find!).
If you’re interested in other chocolate hazelnut or Nutella recipes, check out my Nutella-filled Vanilla Macarons.
Tools to Make Hazelnut Cupcakes
- Cupcake Pan
- Cupcake Liners
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Whisk
- Muffin or Cookie Scoop
Ingredients to Make Hazelnut Cupcakes
- KAMUT® White Flour (or other All Purpose White Flour)
- Hazelnut Flour
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Egg
- White Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Oil (I use Olive Oil)
- Vanilla Extract
- Milk (I use Whole Milk)
All About Ingredients for Hazelnut Cupcakes
Flour
This is a more dense cupcake so you do not need cake flour. I use KAMUT® White Flour in the vast majority of my baking (including this recipe) but I understand it isn’t easy to find so I always write my recipes for both KAMUT® White Flour and regular, white all purpose flour. I do love the way KAMUT® White Flour tastes and that it’s healthier than regular flour but I don’t think it’s make or break in this recipe since the hazelnut flour will bring a stronger flavor. If you’d like to learn more about why I use KAMUT® Brand Wheat so much, check out this post.
Hazelnut Flour
The hazelnut flour is vital for this recipe but if you’ve never used it in your baking, don’t worry. It is pretty easy to find at large chain grocery stores – no need to visit a specialty store! And, of course, you can always order online!
Oil
I use olive oil in most of my cake and cupcake recipes but if you have another neutral oil you love, go ahead and use that instead! Avocado oil could also work here but tends to be a lot more expensive and you don’t taste the actual oil in the finished cupcakes.
Milk
I use whole milk but this recipe isn’t too finicky so you should be able to substitute with a lower fat or non-dairy milk without a problem. Let me know if you try a milk substitute for this recipe!
How to Make Hazelnut Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350 and start with your cupcake tin. Line with cupcake or muffin cups and set aside.
Measure milk in a liquid measuring cup and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, hazelnut flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
Measure the olive oil in a liquid measuring cup. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and both sugars until smooth and fluffy. While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil. Add vanilla extract and whisk until just combined.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just incorporated then add the milk and, again, mix until just incorporated. Finally, add the last half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Use a muffin or cookie scoop to put one level scoop of cupcake batter in each cupcake liner.
Bake for 25-28 minutes until cupcakes start to turn golden brown at the edges and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Top with chocolate hazelnut buttercream frosting. For the same look as the photo, fit your piping bag with a Wilton 1M tip and swirl from the outside and work your way in to create a peak.
Hazelnut cupcakes with Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting
Ingredients
Hazelnut Cupcakes
- 1 cup (160g) KAMUT® White Flour (or 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour)
- ¾ cup (50g) hazelnut flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream Frosting
- 6 oz powdered sugar
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 TBSP unsalted butter (room temperature, softened)
- ½ cup chocolate hazelnut spread (or Nutella)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 TBSP milk (up to 2 TBSP)
Instructions
Hazelnut Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and start with your cupcake tin. Line with cupcake or muffin cups and set aside.
- Measure milk in a liquid measuring cup and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, hazelnut flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
- Measure the olive oil in a liquid measuring cup. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and both sugars until smooth and fluffy. While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil. Add vanilla extract and whisk until just combined.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just incorporated then add the milk and, again, mix until just incorporated. Finally, add the last half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Use a muffin or cookie scoop to put one level scoop of cupcake batter in each cupcake liner.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes until cupcakes start to turn golden brown at the edges and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing cupcakes from pan to cool completely.
Chocolate Hazelnut Buttercream Frosting
- Start by sifting the powdered sugar and cocoa powder through a sieve or fine metal mesh strainer. Set aside.
- Cream softened butter and chocolate hazelnut spread until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the powdered sugar mixture and mix on low until all of the powder is absorbed by the nutella and butter mixture. Frosting will be very thick.
- With the mixer still on low, add the salt and slowly drizzle in approximately half of the milk. When the milk is incorporated, check frosting consistency. If it still resembles fudge, add more milk.
- You have added enough milk when the mixture is smoother than fudge but not wet. When this happens, increase the mixer to medium speed then to medium-high for 3-5 minutes to achieve a nice, fluffy frosting.
- For the same look as the photo, fit a piping bag with a Wilton 1M tip and swirl from the outside and work your way in to create a peak or spread frosting using an offset spatula.
