Ferrero Rocher inspired mini cupcakes

I have to be honest with you, I’ve been wanting to make a ferrero rocher cupcake for a long time now (it is my favorite chocolate, as it should be for everyone! it is just perfect!) but this week i just couldn’t get it out of my  mind.

How to make a perfect hazelnut chocolate cupcake that is creamy and crispy and delicous?! well…here is my take on it!

soft chocolate cake with nutella ganache filling and fluffy hazelnut icing with a ferrero rocher on top!

They were a pleasure to bake and decorate!

I took different ingredients from different blog sites to make this.
First things first the cupcake. It was everything you can hope of a cupcake, it was rich chocolate flavor it is soft and moist and definitely on top of my favorite chocolate batters now. I found this recipe on sally’s baking addiction. I made a small (very small  adjustment and it worked perfectly!)

What you need is:

remember to measure your ingredients before you start mixing, this will make your life easier. TRUST ME!

• 1/2 cup of water (original recipe call for 1 cup of water, this is what i changed)
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
• 1 1/3 of all purpose flour (sifted)
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cups (56 gr) unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Instructions (yields 48 mini cupcakes)

1. Preheat oven at 375 Fº (190 Cº) and get your cupcake mold ready
2. Pour your milk and water in a saucepan and heated (hight heat) when it reaches boiling point pour the unsweetened cocoa powder and stir until smooth. Set aside and cool.
   

   water, milk and cocoa mixture (YUM!)

3. In a medium size bowl whisk together your: flour, baking powder and salt.
4. In a large bowl using a mixer cream your butter until it is fluffy and smooth. Add sugar until it is well incorporated.
5. Add eggs (one by one) to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat until well incorporated at medium speed. Remember to scrape down the bowl. Add vanilla extract.
6. Add the flour mixture slowly until it is incorporated.
7. Add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.
8. Fill your cupcake liners 1/2 the way and bake for about 8 – 9 min.

Filling.

for the filling I used a nutella ganache (yup, heavenly nutella)

You will need:

1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup of nutella
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. In a pot heat your heavy cream until it is simmering
2. In a small bowl place your nutella and pour over the hot heavy cream. Stir until smooth
3. Add the salt to the nutella – cream mixture. Stir. Let it cool in the fridge.
4. While on the fridge stir every other 10 min until you get the consistency you desire.

For the icing, i got the recipe from my baking addiction:
** I made a few adjustments to the recipe.

You will need:

• 2 sticks (226 gr) unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1/3 cups (40 gr roughly) of nutella ( I added 1/4 cup of nutella after tasting the finished product- so i advice you to tasted and adjust as necessary)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 cups confectioners sugar (sifted)
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 5 tablespoons of heavy cream

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl with a mixer cream butter until fluffy.
2. Incorporate confectioners sugar. Mix until nice, soft and fluffy.
3. Add nutella and mix until everything is well incorporated. Scrape the bowl when needed.
4. Add salt and vanilla
5. Add heavy cream, a tablespoon at a time. Add until you get the desired consistency. (mine was about 4 tablespoons)
6. refrigerate.

Now you just need to assemble your cupcakes.

Instructions:

1. Take one of your decorating tips and make a small hole in your cupcake 
2. Pour nutella ganache in the cupcake until it is filled.
3. Swirl icing (used a tip 2D from wilton decorating kit)
4. Decorate with pieces of ferrero rocher. (cut your ferrero rocher chocolate in half and then again)
5. ENJOY!!!!

The cake, the filling and the icing complement each other making this one of my favorite cupcakes so far. ENJOY! They are indeed a little (worth it ) sin!