Classic vanilla cupcakes swirled with Nutella and topped with Nutella-swirled vanilla American buttercream.
I really can’t get enough Nutella. Actually everyone in my family loves it. Lila asks me for “Patella on a spoon” probably every day. One day last week I had some leftover vanilla batter from a custom cake and was trying to decide what to do with it. Then I saw Lila licking her Patella off the spoon and these babies were born.
Nutella is swirled into both the cake batter AND the frosting in these Vanilla Nutella Cupcakes. Double the Nutella, double the fun amirite? Let’s get right to it.
How to Make Vanilla Nutella Cupcakes
Make the Cupcake Batter
Preheat the oven to 325 and line 2 cupcake pans with liners. This recipe will make 24 cupcakes.
In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for 3 minutes, until light in color and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the vanilla into the measuring cup with the room temperature buttermilk and stir them together.
Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar and mix to combine. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in 1/2 of the buttermilk/vanilla mixture. Repeat by adding another 1/3 of the flour, then 1/2 of the buttermilk, then finish by adding the last 1/3 of the buttermilk. Do a final mix with a rubber spatula just to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
Use a large (2 oz) cookie scoop to portion the cupcakes into the prepared cupcake pans. Microwave the Nutella for 10-15 seconds to thin it out to a more spreadable consistency. Then dollop about 1 tsp of Nutella onto each cupcake. Swirl it around using a toothpick. Bake at 325 for 20-22 minutes. Let cool completely.
Make the Buttercream.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter by itself for 10 minutes, scraping down the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl half way through. The butter will become very light in color – almost white – and it will be very smooth and glossy.
Add in the salt and vanilla, mix to combine. Then add the powdered sugar in 2 additions, mixing for 3 minutes after each addition. So add 3 cups, then mix for 3 minutes, then repeat. After all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, add in the heavy cream 2 TBSP at a time until you reach your desired consistency. It should be soft and fluffy, but still hold it’s shape.
Prepare a piping bag with your favorite tip. I used Wilton 8B in these photos, but the trusty 1M would be pretty too! Use a mini rubber spatula or a butter knife to spread Nutella in a line on the inside of the piping bag on one side. I usually find the seam in the bag, and kind of “paint” the Nutella all the way from the tip to nearly the top of the piping bag. Then fill the piping bag with the vanilla buttercream. Pipe a big swirl on each cupcake. Enjoy!
Vanilla Nutella Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 Cupcakes
Description
Nutella swirled into both the vanilla cupcake batter AND the vanilla American buttercream.
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Nutella Cupcakes
- 8 TBSP Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
- 1 3/4 C Granulated Sugar
- 2 Lg Eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 C Buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 1/2 C All Purpose Flour
- 2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 C Nutella
For the Nutella Swirled American Buttercream
- 1 1/2 C Unsalted Butter, at room temperature (3 sticks)
- 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 6 C Powdered Sugar
- 2 TBSP Nutella
- 2–4 TBSP Heavy Cream
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 325 and line 2 cupcake pans with 24 liners
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir the vanilla into the buttermilk.
- Alternated adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk into the stand mixer in 5 total additions. (1/3 dry, 1/2 milk, repeat.)
- Use a large (2 oz) cookie scoop to portion the batter into the prepared cupcake pans.
- Microwave the Nutella for 15 seconds so it is a more spreadable consistency. Then dollop about 1 tsp on each cupcake and swirl it around with a toothpick.
- Bake at 325 for 20-22 minutes. Let cool completely.
For the Buttercream
- Beat the butter in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment for 10 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl half way through.
- Add the vanilla and salt. Mix to combine.
- Add the powdered sugar in 2 total additions (3 C at a time) and mix for 3 minutes after each addition.
- Add the heavy cream 2 TBSP at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Fluffy, but still holds it’s shape.
- Fit a piping bag with your favorite tip. I used Wilton 8B here.
- Spread the Nutella in a line up the inside of the bag from the tip, to nearly the top of the bag. Then fill with buttercream.
- Pipe swirls on to each of the cooled cupcakes.
- Enjoy.
Notes
The cupcakes will keep on the counter for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Are you Nutella’s biggest fan like me? Check out these other Nutella recipes! These Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes, and these Peanut (or Almond) Butter Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies.
This recipe does not show heavy cream as an ingredient for the frosting, but it is mentioned in the directions. Can you clarify how much heavy cream is needed pleas?
Hey Mandi! Thanks so much for pointing this out! The post is updated now. I use 2-4 TBSP of heavy cream depending on how thick I want the frosting.