This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure.
I want to announce that the wonderful people at CSN Stores offered to let me do a review of one of their products. Choosing a product was hard since they have so many wonderful things…they literally have everything from bar stools to cookware to shoes! I decided on a cast iron skillet with a lid since this is such a versatile kitchen tool…I like to use it for fried eggs (it makes literally the best fried eggs, ever), frittata, potatoes anna, pancakes, or even sautéed veggies. I can’t wait to review this product and let you all know how it is!
Now for these fabulously moist and delicious cupcakes! Apologies to my non-chocolate loving friends out there…these cupcakes are a chocoholic’s dream. The cake recipe is none other than my mom’s Crazy Chocolate Cake (that I used last summer to make my dad’s Vegan Birthday Hoho), made even more indulgent by the addition of chocolate hazelnut truffles. And then comes the real crowning jewel, the complete gilding of the lily, the hazelnut buttercream…yes, that’s all that really can be said about that…
This makes about double the amount of buttercream that is actually needed to frost the cupcakes (which – since I was experimenting – I didn’t realize until after I had made the buttercream), so you can either cut the buttercream recipe in half, double the cake recipe, or double-frost the cupcakes like I did.
I actually made these cupcakes a few weeks ago, on a day when I was snowed in and not able to make it in to work. (What could be more fun than baking on a snow day, right?) I took these cupcakes to work with me the next day and they were a huge hit. And I was glad to share these dangerously delicious cupcakes with my co-workers and get them out of my house…they were good for a little indulgence, but I did not want a whole batch of them around tempting me!
Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Cupcakes with Hazelnut Buttercream
(Yield: About 22 to 24 cupcakes and 4 c of buttercream)
Crazy Chocolate Cake:
2 2/3 c flour, plus a little extra to roll the truffles in
2 c sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2/3 c cocoa
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp distilled white vinegar
2/3 c canola oil
2 c cold water
22-24 chocolate hazelnut truffles (I used Lindt, but you can use any brand you like)
Hazelnut Buttercream:
1 stick butter
1 1/2 c smooth hazelnut butter (or any nut butter you like)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
16 oz (1 lb) powdered sugar
About 1/2 c milk, added in 1 TB increments (or more to reach your desired consistency)
Muffin tray & 22-24 paper liners
Cooking spray
For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the muffin tray with paper liners and lightly spray each liner with cooking spray. Mix 2 2/3 c flour with the sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa, and make three wells in this mixture. To each well add the vanilla, vinegar, and oil. Use a handheld mixer to combine and add the water. The batter will be thinner than most cake batters. Lightly roll each truffle in flour and shake off the excess. Fill each well of the muffin tray about 2/3 full, place a flowered truffle in the center of each well, and then add a little more batter to cover the truffles.
Bake for about 20 minutes until they’re fully risen and don’t jiggle when you shake the tray (I didn’t use the toothpick test here because of the truffles inside). Allow to cool slightly in the muffin tray, then remove (the cupcakes might pucker or sink a little in the center because of the truffles…don’t worry, the buttercream will cover it). Make sure they’re completely cool before frosting.
For the buttercream: Cream together the hazelnut butter and butter, then cream in the vanilla. Alternate adding milk and powdered sugar until you’ve added all the powdered sugar and the frosting is the consistency you want (you’ll probably end up using about 1/2 c of milk). Store the frosting in the fridge until ready to use.
Recently the lovely Nicole of Prevention RD passed on the Sunshine Award on to me. If you haven’t visited Nicole’s blog, please do so! She is a real sweetheart and her blog is full of healthy inspiration, information, and recipes. Thank you so much for passing this award on to me, Nicole!
The sunshine award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity and creativity inspire others in the blog world.
I would like to pass this award on to the following wonderful bloggers:
1. Veronica of Recipe Rhapsody
2. Mary of Keep Learning Keep Smiling
3. Juliana of Simple Recipes
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
I just figured out what tonights dessert will be. that was easy.
LOL, I’m one of those oddballs that doesn’t like chocolate. My sitter on the other hand does and she like hazelnuts. I’m going to bookmark this recipe for her. I make her something special for her birthday every year.
~ingrid
Oh Sweet Faith…these cupcakes are divine and you know how I love cupcakes! I can’t wait to give this a try!!
So you make the best fried eggs ever eh? What time is breakfast? Can you make me some grits too?
I’m so sorry that I’ve been so scarce…I’ve been up to my eyeballs in work and projects. My company has a hotel opening in 45 days and I’ve been swamped at work and then I joined a swap and then…well you get the idea.
You are never far from my thoughts and I just adore you! Thank you for being such a wonderful and loyal friend, I truly adore you!
Hope you are enjoying your weekend! It’s raining cats and dogs here…perfect day to try out those cupcakes of yours!
Big Hugs,
Karyn
Wow! They look so good!Love the frosting!
That buttercream looks divine! Although I’m not normally a huge hazelnut fan, I’m sure I would love these cakes :)
Aha! A decadent surprise IN a decadent cupcake! That’s my kind of surprise. (Can I get a job where you work?)
These are awesome! Extra frosting is never a bad thing! ;D I look forward to reading your review!
Oh these look so amazing! Love the double frosting and chocolate and hazelnut are a great combo. I am so making these.
The more hazelnut cream the better…double frosting and chocolate. Great photos! Love the glam close ups. Good thing you got these babies out of the house, they are way too tempting!
Gosh…these cupcakes look so irresistible. I love the colour of the frosting that gives such a beautiful contrast to the dark chocolate colour. Thanks very much too for the award. Really appreciate lots!
So my birthday is March 28th… I think you need to make them for my birthday ;)
My favorite flavor with chocolate is hazelnut. I will definitely have to make these! :)
Wow this post is so amazing! I am a Chocoholic through and through and I absolutely need these cupcakes in my life. Thanks for such an awesome recipe!
Okay – just the title of this post had me drooling!! Then you had to go and add those photos!! Not fair :-)
These look so good and elegant Faith with that glorious swirl of frosting….! I would love them even without the truffle in the middle. I was surprised to hear your hubby grew up in Syria, and wondered whether he likes to eat Syrian food, which is reputed to be outstanding.
Taste of Beirut – Yes, Syrian food is my hubby’s favorite! :) I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time in Syria so I leared a lot about Syrian cooking from my lovely mother-in-law.
Boy do these look good, Faith. Wish you had a few extras to send my way :)
So there’s a secret inside these cupcakes! Very neat and lovely idea!
Thank you all for your sweet comments! I wish you were all co-workers! ;)
Veronica – I actually wanted to take a picture of the inside but I took the cupcakes to work and forgot my camera and at the end of the day these babies were long gone…c’est la vie I guess. :) The truffles actually did melt, but they didn’t disappear into the batter…they actually sunk to the bottom (despite being floured) and once the cupcakes were cool there was a solid layer of chocolate on the bottom. By the way, your Mounds Cake sounds INCREDIBLE!
Emily – I’m so glad you made the mousse…I hope you enjoyed it! You can absolutely use my pic (and I really appreciate you asking first! :) ), just please say where you got the pic.
Wow these cupcakes look awesome!Placing truffles inside them is a wonderful idea!
Hi Faith, I want to post your mousse recipe today, but I wanted to ask your permission to also post the pictures you have of it… Mine didn’t look nearly as good! I just wanted to ask first!
I am all about double frosting the cupcakes. Frosting is the only reason I eat cupcakes!
These look amazing. And insanely addictive. Double frosting is always the way to go. Or you can just eat the leftover buttercream. With a spoon. Not that I do things like that. I love the hazelnut!
They look sinfully delicious!!!
Delicious! I love the idea of a little truffle hidden in the center…now my mouth is watering :)
You are very welcome :) And thanks for the shout out!
Cast iron — can’t wait to hear your review. And I’ve seen hazelnut butter in stores and never would’ve thought to put it into frosting — so smart! And delicious! You and me, girl…we’re fattening up our co-workers with our baking delights!
no shot of the innards? great, now i’ll have to make them myself to have the visual satisfaction. :)
lovely recipe, faith. for me, there is no other option but to double-frost the cupcakes. it’s something i’d do anyway. :)
Sunshine… what a great idea in these dark days we are having… love the cupcakes… and too much frosting? How can that be. When I made an old cupcake recipe… I realized I had to triple it to do that lovely frosting turban… no wonder we keep getting bigger!!! Yours look fab… congrats on the award!
Oooh Fiath you’ve done it again! Not only are these cupcakes but they come with a bonus truffle which makes it a double win! :D
I want to work where you work! I never though of using cray cake for cup cakes, we always just mixed it in the pan it was to bake in. Great recipe.
Mimi
Hola Dear…so love hazlenut everything and i can get nearest to hazlenut buttercream by adding nutella in coz we dont really find hazlenut butter here….ofcourse i do sub by roasting and grinding my own :-)))
Congrats on ur award and wowowowo to the reveiw-great chocice there…
I am not only so impressed with your recipe but of your amazing photos as well. Anything with hazelnut is bound to be delicious!
Oh, yum! Girl, these look crazy fabulous. What a great idea–putting truffles in the center. Did they keep their shape or did they kind of melt into the batter? I’m really big on seeing the insides of baked goods–you should include those shots as well!! Thank you so much for passing on that award–it’s my first! Woo–hoo–I feel special. :) And you know what’s funny? I recently made that “Crazy Cake” too(we call it “Wacky Cake” around here but it’s the same thing), making it with gluten-free flours for a boy who has major food allergies. I used it as the base for a Mounds cake, putting coconut filling on top and then coconut ganache over that. No one could tell it wasn’t a normal cake–I was so proud. :)
Those look fabulous, and I’m sure no one would mind a double-frosted cupcake! If I had one, I would try to eat the frosting and top cake layer first, then eat around the truffle to save it for last :)
I’m wishing I was a co worker right about now! Holy smokes…those look outrageously amazing!
I am sold on your cupcakes!!! :)
Congrats for your award :)
is there anyone who wouldn’t like these cupcakes???? I really doubt it! They look fantastic… i want to go and have a bite right now! :D
ohmigosh. HAZELNUT buttercream!! Faith, you’re always tantalizing the inner sweet tooth in me!
And cast iron skillet….pick me, pick me! :D
These cupcakes are totally decadent and sinfully delicious! Of course I love the chocolate and I also love the hazelnut buttercream!
OMG these look amazing! I know what I am making the next time I am snowed in for the weekend!!! =)