The Lush Chef

Libations used: 2 Tbs Frangelico

Libations left over: None, but make yourself a cocktail if you need to imbibe while baking...

A friend of mine was celebrating her graduation from grad school last week and I wanted to bring something to her party.  I knew there would be some little kids at this shindig, so I didn't want to make cupcakes that were going to get folks tipsy, and I wanted a flavor profile that would appeal to everyone.  Who doesn't love chocolate-Nutella-goodness and strawberries?  This recipe for Nutella Cupcakes that I found on Baked-In uses Frangelico, an Italian hazelnut liqueur in the batter so the alcohol will burn off (yay, no drunk kiddies!), and has a Nutella filling and Nutella buttercream frosting.

Make sure that you use fresh eggs when you're making the frosting so those whites whip up nicely.  I was lucky to get a dozen eggs from a friend who raises chickens at Maggie's Farms, and boy, do those eggs make amazing frosting!  I had also bought a huge box of strawberries that morning and decided these all-brown cupcakes needed a little color and fruity flair (I had to restrain myself from dunking too many strawberries in the Nutella jar after I was done baking).  I brought almost all the cupcakes to the party and they pretty much disappeared in under 5 minutes.  I think that's a pretty good sign that I need to make them again...

Ingredients for the cake:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 Tbs Frangelico
• 1 cup buttermilk

Ingredients for the frosting:

• 4 large egg whites (make sure the eggs are fresh)
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Nutella

To make the cake:

- Preheat oven to 350 and line your cupcake pans.

- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.

- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 10 minutes until they're thick and pale.

- Turn off the mixer and add the vegetable oil, Frangelico and buttermilk.

- Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.

- Add the flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed until it's fully incorporated, for about 2 minutes.  

- Add the batter to the cupcake tins, filling the cups about 2/3 full.

- Bake for 17-20 minutes, and make sure they're completely cool before frosting.

To make the frosting:

- Add the egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high speed for about 8 minutes.  The egg whites should be in stiff, white peaks when you remove the whisk attachment.

- Fit your mixer with the paddle attachment and add the butter 2 Tbs at a time.

- Beat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture is fluffy and smooth.  It will go through a period where it curdles a little bit, but keep beating through that and it will come back together into an even fluffier texture.

- Add the Nutella and beat until it's fully incorporated.

To decorate the cupcakes:

- Use a small paring knife or a cupcake holer to take out a small piece of the middle.  

- Fill each cupcake with 1/2 to 1 tsp of Nutella.

- Frost and garnish with a strawberry slice.