If you are a fan of Nutella, you are going to love these gluten free Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes. When I asked my husband (a serious chocolate addict) what his favorite flavor combination is, his first answer was chocolate and hazelnut. So here’s the result! Rich and moist double chocolate cake, drizzled with a little Frangelico then topped with a Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting. Yumm!
Then he mentioned that he also really likes chocolate with peanut butter and salted caramel. So I figured I would dream something up for that too. The result is my Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Cake. This is a four layer celebration of flavors and textures. You’ll definitely want to check that out too!
Easy Batter
This is a very easy batter to whip up. Simply mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Combine the two mixtures, then stir in the chocolate chips by hand. I use mini chips because they add flavor, moisture and richness to the cake without getting a bite of gooey chocolate or breaking up the cake texture.
Baking Tips
If you have done any gluten free baking, you know that if you bake something even a minute too long, it will likely be dry and crumbly. Given that ovens are not all built alike, you have to watch your gluten free baked goods like a hawk. The “toothpick test” is not a reliable method. In fact, if you wait to get a dry toothpick from these gluten free cupcakes, you will have over baked them. The reason is because they continue to bake after being removed from the oven.
My method is to lightly touch the middle of the cake after it has risen. If it is dry to the touch but still feels slightly soft in the middle, but doesn’t jiggle, it is done. If the middle feels mushy, as if there is wet batter underneath, give it another minute and check again. Repeat this until it is done.
Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting
Dissolve the salt in the cream as best as you can. Doing that will reduce the chance of biting into a grain of salt. In a medium bowl, combine the butter and chocolate hazelnut spread with a hand mixer. Gradually add the powdered sugar and the cream mixture with the mixer on a low speed to reduce mess. Taste the mixture as you go along to see if you like it sweeter or not.
You can use more or less sugar depending on your preference and the type of chocolate hazelnut spread you are using. For example, Nutella has a lot higher sugar content than Justin’s brand. Justin’s is a bit thicker too. As a result, you may need to adjust the amount of powdered sugar and/or cream to get the consistency spreadable and as sweet as you like. Fortunately, it is a very forgiving recipe, so feel free to gradually play with the amounts without worrying that you will ruin the frosting.
More Gluten Free Sweet Treats
- Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
- Peanut Butter, Banana and Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
- Not So “Vanilla” Cupcakes
- Praline Cream Cupcakes
- Irish Coffee Cupcakes,
- Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 ¼ cup gluten free flour blend with xantham gum - I use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup mini chocolate baking chips
- ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped - *for optional garnish
- ¼-1/2 cup Hazelnut Liqueur (like Frangelico) - *optional for drizzle on cupcakes
For the Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting:
- 1 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) - If you sub with another brand see note below
- ¾ cup lightly salted butter
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins.
- In a small bowl combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine them well.
- In a large bowl, combine oil, eggs and cream. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir by hand or with a mixer until combined and there are no lumps. Add the chocolate chips and stir with a spatula to combine them.
- Using a ¼ cup measuring cup or scoop, fill lined cupcake tin with batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes, watching very closely after 15 minutes. Once they have risen and are set but still soft in the middle, they are done. Don’t wait for the dry toothpick test or let them get solid in the middle, because they will be over-baked, dry and crumbly.
- Remove from the oven, drizzle the tops of each cupcake with a few teaspoons of Frangelico (Optional) and let cool completely before topping. Cupcakes are best at room temp, so don’t store them in the fridge. You can store them in a covered container at room temp for 3-4 days.
- While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting. Combine the salt and cream, stirring to let the salt dissolve. Start by combining the butter and Nutella on medium speed with a hand mixer. On a low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar and cream alternating them to help prevent the powdered sugar from flying everywhere. Once all of the ingredients are combined, taste, and add more powdered sugar if you like it sweeter. Then turn the speed to high and whip until the frosting becomes smooth and lightens up a bit in color.
- Transfer frosting to a piping bag or ziplock bag with a corner cut off. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and sprinkle with a few chopped hazelnuts if you wish.
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