Nutella Frosted Cupcakes with a difference

It’s hubby dear’s birthday today. I had decided to make Shammi’s Pecan Maple Syrup Cake , but didn’t have any maple syrup or plain flour at home. Moreover, I didn’t get the time to do any grocery shopping on Friday or Saturday. Germany being Germany, everything is closed on Sundays. As hubby says, God too doesn’t work here on Sundays. Unless He likes to work in petrol pumps for a change.

So, I was left with no choice but to change my plans. In came the self-frosting Nutella cupcakes by Nic of Baking Sheet. I tweaked the recipe a little to suit my preferences though. I used whole-wheat flour (not the very coarse variety, but a kind somewhat similar to Chapati Ata, only a couple of shades darker), since I avoid using plain white flour as much as possible. I am happy to confirm that it didn’t make much difference to the taste, neither to the texture. I didn’t have enough butter at home, so I used whatever little I had and added some sunflower oil, but I think I didn’t add enough because the muffins were dryish (but certainly with less calories..now I feel a little better). I didn’t sift the flour, because I didn’t feel the need for it. I forgot to add the salt, which was not for any specific preferences but purely out of forgetfulness. Now, who’s got older? My husband or me?

All in all, I was happy with the outcome. I am sure, the muffins would have turned out better, had I used the given amount of butter. Otherwise, they went very well with a cup of coffee. More so, because I offered them to hubby as refreshments after he vacuumed the house. And that he did despite it being his birthday. So touching, no? –sob-

Recipe for Nutella Frosted Cupcakes
Makes 12.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp softened butter + 4 tbsp oil (The original recipe asks for 10 tbsp/140 grams butter)
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla sugar (1/2 tsp vanilla in the original.)
1 3/4 cups (200 grams) whole-wheat flour (As per the original, sifted plain white flour)
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
Nutella, approx. 1/3 cup (Do not bother measuring this. Scoop it straight out of the jar as you need it.)



Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Cream together butter and sugar until light for approx. 2 minutes.
3. Add in eggs one at a time, until fully incorporated.
4. Add vanilla.
5. Stir in flour, salt and baking powder until batter is uniform and no flour remains.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each muffin liner with batter. The muffin moulds should be 3/4 full, if you're not using a scoop.
7. Top each cake with 1 1/2 tsp Nutella. Swirl Nutella in with a toothpick, making sure to fold a bit of batter up over the Nutella.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Cool them in the tray for about five minutes.
10. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.



One note of caution: Please make sure that you use the recommended amount of Nutella and NOT less, because it is not just for frosting or for flavour, but also contributes towards the sweetness of the muffin. The rest of the batter is otherwise rather ‘unsweet’.




Tags: Chocolate , Nutella , Muffin , Muffins , Cupcake , Cupcakes