One of my coworkers was moving across the country, so the team decided to have a food day in her honor. I wanted to try out a new recipe, so I went with these vanilla cupcakes that are filled with Nutella, then have a swirled Strawberry and Nutella buttercream frosting. This is a great recipe I found on Sally's Baking Addiction, which is my current favorite baking blog. I really loved the swirled frosting with two flavors and will definitely be taking that technique forward for other creations.
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
Filling:
1/3 cup Nutella
Buttercream:
1 cup freeze-dried strawberries*
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Nutella
*Note: Freeze-dried strawberries are pretty easy to find at most grocery stores in the same aisle as raisins and craisins.
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin pans with a total of 18 muffins cup liners.
2. Make the cupcakes. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until well incorporated.
4. Add egg whites and mix well.
5. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined.
6. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
7. Add the milk slowly and mix until just combined.
8. Fill muffins cups 2/3 of the way full.
9. Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Let cupcakes cool completely, then hollow out the centers with a knife or cupcake plunger.
11. Fill the centers of the cupcakes with as much Nutella as will fit.
12. To make the buttercream, cream butter with the paddle attachment of the stand mixer. Switch to the whisk attachment.
13. Gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter, whisking well with each addition.
14. Add vanilla and salt and mix well. Add milk and whip until texture is consistent.
15. Split the frosting into 2 equal portions. In one portion, beat in 1/3 cup Nutella.
16. In a food processor, blend the freeze dried strawberries. Sift the powder through a fine strainer to remove any chunks. Add strawberry powder to the other portion of frosting and mix to incorporate.
17. Use any piping tip you like, and fill the piping bag with alternating spoonfuls of Nutella and strawberry frosting.
18. Pipe frosting on to cupcakes. Store in a sealed container for 3-4 days.
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
1 3/4 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
Filling:
1/3 cup Nutella
Buttercream:
1 cup freeze-dried strawberries*
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup Nutella
*Note: Freeze-dried strawberries are pretty easy to find at most grocery stores in the same aisle as raisins and craisins.
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin pans with a total of 18 muffins cup liners.
2. Make the cupcakes. In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until well incorporated.
4. Add egg whites and mix well.
5. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined.
6. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
7. Add the milk slowly and mix until just combined.
8. Fill muffins cups 2/3 of the way full.
9. Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Let cupcakes cool completely, then hollow out the centers with a knife or cupcake plunger.
11. Fill the centers of the cupcakes with as much Nutella as will fit.
12. To make the buttercream, cream butter with the paddle attachment of the stand mixer. Switch to the whisk attachment.
13. Gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter, whisking well with each addition.
14. Add vanilla and salt and mix well. Add milk and whip until texture is consistent.
15. Split the frosting into 2 equal portions. In one portion, beat in 1/3 cup Nutella.
16. In a food processor, blend the freeze dried strawberries. Sift the powder through a fine strainer to remove any chunks. Add strawberry powder to the other portion of frosting and mix to incorporate.
17. Use any piping tip you like, and fill the piping bag with alternating spoonfuls of Nutella and strawberry frosting.
18. Pipe frosting on to cupcakes. Store in a sealed container for 3-4 days.