Description
Delicious vanilla cupcakes filled with Nutella and topped with gorgeous swirled Nutella and strawberry buttercream frosting. Perfect for Valentine's Day celebrations, these cupcakes look impressive but are surprisingly easy to make.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 and 3/4 cups cake flour (spooned and leveled)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg whites (at room temperature)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (at room temperature)
- 1/2 cup whole milk (at room temperature)
- 1/3 cup Nutella (for filling)
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 and 1/2 cups unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup Nutella (for frosting)
- Optional: chocolate heart candies or fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners, plus a second pan for 2-3 more liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, mixing until incorporated.
- Switch your mixer to low speed and add the dry ingredients, mixing just until the flour disappears.
- With the mixer still on low, slowly pour in the milk and mix just until combined.
- Pour or spoon the batter into prepared liners, filling each one about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cupcakes cool completely in the pan.
- Once cool, use a sharp knife to cut a small circle in the center of each cupcake, about 1 inch deep.
- Spoon Nutella into each carved-out cupcake, then slice off the pointy end of the removed piece and place it back on top like a lid.
- For the frosting, use a blender or food processor to turn freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder.
- Beat the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes until creamy.
- Add the confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, beat on low for 30 seconds, then on high for 3 minutes.
- Divide buttercream in half, mix Nutella into one half and strawberry powder into the other half.
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip by alternating spoonfuls of Nutella frosting and strawberry frosting.
- Pipe a tall swirl on top of each cupcake.
- Decorate with chocolate hearts or fresh strawberries if desired.
Notes
Room temperature ingredients make a difference in how the batter comes together. Don't overfill cupcake liners - stick to 2/3 full. Make sure cupcakes are completely cool before filling to prevent Nutella from becoming too runny. These cupcakes keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.