These moist chocolate cupcakes are filled with Nutella and frosted with an extra creamy Nutella buttercream. It is so easy to make and only takes 18 minutes to prepare.
Isn’t Nutella the absolute best?? This creamy, hazelnut and chocolate spread is so amazing in this frosting and as a cupcake filling. These delicious Nutella cupcakes are based off of my mocha cupcakes.
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Tell me about this recipe!
- These simple cupcakes are based off my simple oil based chocolate cake, no need to cream butter and no mixer required!
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, the middle is scooped out and filled with Nutella spread.
- The frosting is an easy American buttercream which is folded with even more Nutella!
Ingredients Needed
Cupcake Ingredients 
Frosting Ingredients
The printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post.
- Oil: use a neutral oil in the cake, like canola, vegetable or rapeseed oil. This will make the cake extra moist and no need to cream butter!
- Cocoa Powder: this recipe uses Dutch processed cocoa powder. If you only have natural cocoa powder, then don’t add the vinegar to your cupcakes. Not sure what kind you have? Check the ingredients! If it mentions alkali or acidity regulators, then you have Dutch processed cocoa powder.
- Nutella: if you don’t have Nutella, feel free to use another chocolate hazelnut spread!
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: In another bowl or in a jug, whisk your eggs, oil, buttermilk, hot water, vanilla, vinegar, and both sugars until smooth.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the flour and fold until it is thoroughly mixed. Make sure there aren’t any pockets of flour!
Step 4: Pour the batter into your cupcake liners and bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Let them cool completely.
Step 5: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix your butter and confectioners’ sugar on low speed until well combined. Increase the speed to medium until it is airy and fluffy.
Step 6: Add your vanilla, salt and Nutella into the mixture. Beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes. Turn your mixer to your lowest speed and slowly pour in your heavy cream. Use a pastry tip to punch out the middle of each cupcake and fill with a teaspoon of Nutella. Frost with your buttercream.
Recipe Tips
- I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake!
- I make sure that all of my ingredients are at room temperature before I start the recipe, so pull out all of the ingredients about 2 hours before you start baking.
- Only fill up your cupcake liners to ¾ of the way, if you fill it up any further they will overflow in the oven!
Frequently Asked Questions
While you could just spread some Nutella on top of your cupcakes, I think it tastes amazing when you add it to American buttercream!
Once you’ve filled the 12 liners, keep the rest of the batter at room temperature while the first 12 are baking. Once you’ve taken them out of the oven, let them cool for 5-10 minutes. Take them out to cool on a cooling rack, then bake the remaining 2 cupcakes.
Store the cupcakes in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.
Other Chocolate Recipes to try!
Have you made this recipe? Make sure to tag me on Instagram @alpineella and leave a review below if you have! If you want more baking ideas, you can follow me on Pinterest.
Recipe
Nutella Filled Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12 cup muffin tray
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 95 grams all purpose flour
- 43 grams cocoa powder dutch processed
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 100 grams sugar
- 100 grams light brown sugar
- 50 ml vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 113 grams buttermilk room temperature
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 14 teaspoons Nutella spread to fill each cupcake
Frosting
- 226 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 339 grams confectioners' sugar
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 160 grams Nutella
Instructions
Make cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C and place 12 cupcake liners in your muffin tray. This recipe makes about 14 cupcakes, so you will need to make these in two batches.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large jug, whisk the eggs, oil, buttermilk, hot water, vanilla, vinegar and two sugars until smooth
- Pour the wet mixture into the flour, stirring until it is just about smooth – we don't want to over mix the batter!
- Fill the cupcake liners ¾ of the way and bake for 18-20 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool for 15 minutes in the tray, then take them out and place on a cooling rack. Bake the last two cupcakes.
Make Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together on low speed until well combined.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a 2 minutes until it becomes very thick.
- Stop the mixer and add the salt, vanilla, and Nutella into the bowl. Beat on medium-high speed for another 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to your lowest speed and pour in the heavy cream. Beat until it becomes very creamy and spreadable.
- I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to frost my cupcakes.
Assembly
- Use a pastry tip or a sharp knife to cut out a circle in the top of each cupcake. Scoop out a bit of the cake so you have a cavity. Spoon in 1 teaspoon of Nutella into each cupcake. You can place the little piece of cupcake back on top, and then frost each cupcake with Nutella buttercream.
Heidi
Can I ask why you use the vinegar in the cupcake recipe?? I’ve never done this with chocolate cupcakes where Dutch processed powder, buttermilk or sour cream is used in the ingredients. I’m intrigued xx
Ella
Hi! Sure thing, so because dutch processed cocoa powder is neutralised, we need more acid in the recipe to help add extra lift. While we have some acid with the buttermilk (or sour cream!), the vinegar added will help make the baking soda super active and help the cupcakes rise – as well as help them be light and fluffy.
Edna Pasley
I wanted to know if you could double the recipe
Ella
Yes you can! Just click on 2x above the ingredient list and it will do it automatically for you!
MP
Hi Ella,
Tried these for my Nutella-loving niece’s bday, they were lovely! Just one comment, in step 3 you say to mix espresso with the rest of the wet ingredients, but there is no espresso listed 😛
Even without it, they were a hit. Thank you for your easy super tasty recipes <3
Ella
Thank you so much for your review! And whoops, so sorry about the espresso mix up! That got taken in from my chocolate cupcake recipe, no espresso needed here!
Cristina Fratilescu
I jusr want to try them asap😊
Ella
Let me know when you do! 🙂