Cleobuttera

where baking rules

Nutella Lava Cupcakes

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These cupcakes are exploding with Nutella flavor!  Super moist and tender chocolate cupcakes filled with a Nutella lava sauce that erupts in your mouth as you bite, and topped the Nutella-iest frosting you’ll ever meet.  The frosting does not have a speck of powdered sugar!   A topping of Ferrero Rocher rounds up the chocolate-hazelnut goodness.Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

We’re still on a Nutella kick around here, in celebration of World Nutella Day coming on February 5th!

If you’ve been following along my little over 2 1/2 months of blogging, you probably know how smitten I am of Nutella, and that it’s taking over the blog.

If you’re new around these parts, please allow me to introduce you to myself.  My name is Tasbih and I’m a Nutella addict.  And here’s the proof: that, this, that, that and that.  Nice to meet you.

And I’m back again with yet another Nutella recipe! This time in a dreamy cupcake form with explosive powers!

Don’t be fooled by its fancy-candy topped appearance and stripy golden liner.  This cupcake will erupt lava in your mouth and hit you with bold Nutella notes in every bite.

Take a look…

Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

Need I say more?

I’ve been bottling up this cupcake recipe for a looooong time.  Way before I even thought about writing a blog.  I tweaked and tweaked and played with it over the years, to produce that ‘hit-you-in-the-face’ Nutella flavor.  And I’m now finally happy with it and ready to let it out.

It’s one of those things that when people taste, I get remarks like “this is the best cupcake I’ve ever tasted!” and I keep get so many requests for the recipe.  I made them several times for my kids’ bake-sale at school and they are always the first thing to sell out.  Check the bake-sale ones here on Instagram.  This is always followed be several emails from teachers praising them and asking for the recipe.Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

So what makes these cupcakes so special or dare I say the Ultimate?

You know those cupcakes that call themselves “Nutella” cupcakes, but then when you taste them, you have to really concentrate and squint your eyes to be able to detect the faintest hint of Nutella?

Yeeeeeeah…well those are the complete opposite of that.

The Nutella is the real star here and it shines so bright.  The flavor comes through in not only one but two ways:

The Nutella Sauce Lava center and the Very Nutella Frosting.

  • Nutella sauce is injected into the center of the cupcake, giving it that molten lava effect while also adding another dimension of Nutellanessness.  Let’s just pretend that this is a real word.  It’s just Nutella thinned down with a little milk to give it a saucy consistency that is not as heavy as if we had injected it with pure Nutella.
  • ‘The Very Nutella Frosting’ is simply the Nutella-iest frosting you will meet.  It is as Nutella flavored as it could get.  So delicious!  Typical Nutella frosting recipes use between 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup Nutella and piles of powdered sugar.  In my humble Nutella-loving opinion, I think that just produces an overly sweet frosting with barely there Nutella flavor and a gritty texture.  Here, the frosting does not even have a puff of powdered sugar and has a whopping 1 1/2 cups of Nutella!!!  So you can be sure that it’s gonna be silky smooth and perfectly sweet. The sweetness and stability come instead from melted chocolate chips mixed right in.  A little cream cheese in there gives an ever-so-slight tang and helps make the frosting not taste buttery.
    frosting-beater-w

See that? I was really tempted to call it:  Best Ever Nutella Frosting, but decided to leave it at Very Nutella Frosting and let you judge for yourself.

As for the cupcakes themselves.  They have been my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe for several years and for a good reason.  They are so soft and tender, just chocolatey enough and of course moist, because we all hate dry cakes.  They are fluffy, with a slight pleasant fudginess to it.  I have yet to find a chocolate cupcake recipe that I like more than this.  Except for another one which I also love, but it tastes like dark chocolate, so it’s not for everyone.

Let’s take a look at this one:

The cupcake batter is very thin and soupy, so don’t be alarmed.  I still like to use an ice cream scoop to portion them instead of pouring it, which gets really messy and uneven.  When they bake, they will rise really high, then deflate slightly creating flat tops with a slight peak in the center.  Let those babies cool completely before filling and frosting.  While that is doing its thing, let’s make some beater-lickin’ good frosting.Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

You’ll start by creaming the butter with the cream cheese together until smooth. (I was making a small portion here, so yours will will look more)Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

Then you’ll plop in your Nuuuuuuuutella and mix that in. Mmmmm.Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

Pour in the melted chocolate and mix, mix, mix.  Now try to resist eating it by the spoon.  Just lick the beaters, will ya?  At this point, if you feel that the frosting is on the soft side, cover and refrigerate it till you finish everything else.  I sometimes need to do this on hot days, otherwise, it’s pretty stable. Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

Time to make that oozy, molten-y, lava Nutella sauce.  Put Nutella, pour milk, whisk, done!Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

Now you’re ready to assemble.  Use a pairing knife (or a small sharp one) cut a round circle in the center of the cupcake.  About an inch in diameter.  Use the tip of the knife to help you lift the circle, then remove with your finger.  Cut the bottom fluffy half of this piece and eat it. A little treat for the cook; you’ve earned it:)  Save the top half because we’re gonna use it later.

Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

Then using a pipping bag or a spoon, fill the hole with a generous amount of the Nutella sauce.  Almost to the top.  Then cover the hole with the saved piece of cake circle.

Now grab that yummy frosting and pipe on to that cupcake.  Check out on instagram a video of exactly how I do that.Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

Then if you have any leftover sauce, drizzle that on top, or just use chocolate syrup.  I used store-bought syrup here, because the little guys squirted all that was left in the pipping bag in the mouthes!  You’ll most likely do the the same.

Now top those babies with a fancy-schamancy Ferrero Rocher, sprinkles, chocolate curls, fondant cut-outs, potato chips, not even kidding, or whatever floats your boat.Nutella Lava Cupcakes {Exploding with Nutella flavor! These tender chocolate cupcakes have a Nutella sauce lava center and topped with the Nutella-iest frosting you will ever meet, that does NOT having a speck of powdered sugar}

Now go hide somewhere and eat it alone, because you’re gonna look too funny eating this thing:)

Nutella Lava Cupcakes
 
Print
Cupcake recipe can be halved or doubled with great results. Please note that I developed the frosting recipe using a kitchen scale then converted it to volume, so please use a scale for maximum accuracy if available. The frosting makes enough to frost 20 to 22 cupcakes, yielding a 1:2 ratio of frosting to cupcake. If you don't like a lot of frosting, you can halve the recipe. Alternatively, if you like piles of frosting, you can make 1½ to double the recipe, according to how much you like on there. Make sure you have 1 (750g) jar of Nutella or 2 (350g) jars for this recipe.
Author:
Serves: 16 to 17 cupcakes* (see note)
Ingredients
  • For the Cupcakes: (you can substitute your favorite cake mix for a shortcut)
  • ½ cup (4oz/113.4g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1½ cups (10½oz/ 298g) soft light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 egg, at room temperature
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (1½oz/ 40g) unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process* (see note)
  • 1½ teaspoons (7g) baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups (6.4 oz/ 180g) cake flour* (see note for substitution)
  • ⅔ cups (5.3oz/ 150g) sour cream, at room temperature
  • ¾ cups (177ml) hot water (or coffee)* (see note)

  • For the Very Nutella Frosting (makes about 3½ cups):* (see note above)
  • ¾ cup (6oz/ 170g)) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons (3 oz/ 85g)) cream cheese (or 6 Kiri squares), softened but slightly cool
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoon (12 oz/ 340g) Nutella
  • ½ cup minus 1 tablespoon (3 oz/ 85g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup minus 1 tablespoon (3 oz/ 85g) milk chocolate chips

  • For the Nutella Sauce Filling:
  • ¾ cup (8oz/ 227g) Nutella
  • ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk

  • Leftover Nutella sauce filling or chocolate syrup for drizzling on top, optional

  • 16 to 17 Ferrero Rocher, or sprinkles or chocolate curls for topping, optional
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350F/180F. Line 2 cupcake pans with 20 to 22 cupcake liners.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl, if using a handheld mixer), whisk the butter on high speed until smooth.
  3. Add the brown sugar and mix together until slightly lightened in color, about 3 minutes.
  4. Scrape down the bowl, then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  5. Add in the vanilla and continue mixing until lightened more in color and texture and looks fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
  6. Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and mix until well blended. Scrape down the bowl.
  7. With the mixer on lowest speed, add one-third of the flour, followed by half of the sour cream, then mix to blend. Then add the second third of the flour, followed by the rest of the sour cream, mix again. End with the remaining flour and mix just until combined. Scrape the bowl as needed.
  8. With the mixer running on medium low speed, drizzle in the hot water (or coffee) and mix until very smooth, about 1 minute. Batter will be very thin and soupy.
  9. Portion the batter evenly among the cupcake liners (I like to use a 3 tablespoons measure ice cream scoop for a smaller cupcake) until ⅔ full, or (a ¼ cup measure ice cream scoop for a larger cupcake) until ¾ full.
  10. Bake until the tops spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes clean or with a few cooked crumbs attached, 16 to 17 minutes. Start checking after 15 minutes. The cupcakes might deflate slightly after they come out of the oven, but should NOT look sunken. If the do sink, that means they were underbaked. They should have slightly domed tops.
  11. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
  12. While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, make the frosting and filling (instructions below)
  13. To make a hole in the cupcake, use a pairing knife to make a deep circular (1-inch in diameter) cut in the center of the cupcake. Make sure you only cut about halfway through the cupcake, and don't go all the way through the bottom. An apple corer would also work perfectly here. Using the tip of the knife, lift the cut piece of cake from deep inside and remove it completely. Let's call this the 'plug.' Cut the bottom half of the 'plug' and snack on it or do whatever you want with it. Set aside the top half of the plug, which will be used to cover the cupcake after filling them.
  14. Using a small spoon or a piping bag or a zipper lock bag with the corner snipped off, pour in the Nutella sauce into each cupcake. Be generous:) Fill almost to the top.
  15. Use the cake 'plug' to cover the tops of the cupcakes, where they have been filled.
  16. Using your favorite piping tip (I used a large round tip Ateco 808) or an offset spatula to frost the cupcakes with the Very Nutella Frosting. The way it's done here, is by starting to pipe in the center, going aroung once, the ending in the center with a burst of pressure.
  17. If desired, drizzle with leftover Nutella Sauce, or chocolate syrup, then top with Ferrero Rocher, sprinkles or chocolate curls.
  18. Store cupcakes in an airtight container.
For the Very Nutella Frosting:
  1. In a medium microwavable bowl, place both types of chocolate chips and melt in the microwave, stopping every 20 second to stir the chocolate. Heat and stir until almost completely melted. The warmth of the melted chocolate will melt whatever bits of chocolate left. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. In another medium bowl, combine the butter and cream cheese and beat using an electric mixer until smooth and well blended.
  3. Add in the Nutella and mix until completely incorporated. Scrape down the bowl.
  4. Add in the melted chocolate and mix until everything is well combined, scraping the bowl as need.
For the Nutella Sauce Filling:
  1. Combine the Nutella and milk in a medium bowl, whisk well until completely smooth.
Notes
*The cupcake batter will make anywhere between 16 and 17 cupcakes. Making 16 will result in a larger cupcake with a muffin-top-like cap. Making 17 on the other hand, will produce cupcakes that rise just right above the cupcake liner (just like the ones pictured above).

*Dutch processed cocoa powder gives a deeper, more chocolatey flavor to these cupcakes. However, if you can't find it, no worries, natural unsweetened cocoa works really well too, without affecting the outcome. If using natural cocoa, use the darkest, best quality cocoa you can find. I use Hintz unsweetened cocoa and love it!

*Cake flour gives these cupcakes a soft and tender crumb, but it could be hard to find, at least where I live. I substitute this by placing 3 tablespoons of cornstarch or cornflour in my measuring cup, then add the all-purpose flour on top of that and continue measuring like I normally would. So I end up using 1½ cups minus 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour plus 3 tablespoons cornstarch. If you have cake flour, just use that.

*Using coffee in chocolate baked goods intensifies the chocolate flavor without making it taste like coffee. I just stir in 1½ teaspoons of instant coffee (Nescafe) into my ¾ cup of hot water. If you're not okay with using coffee then just use hot water instead.

Cupcake base recipe adapted from Food Network
Frosting and filling: A Cleobuttera original

Nutella Lava Cupcake - pinterest

Comments

  1. Hello hello my dear friend, or so Am feeling.. Yes you became my mind friend, I can’t stop myself from checking your blog or Instagram account everyday.. I wanted to ask you for something.. Please include a course in your bucket list.. You have to give courses someday (hope it’s really soon) but please think about it, and I will be your first student.. Wishing you the best of luck Habebti

    Reply

    • Hahaha Esraa you’re really so cute! I will never forget that you were from my very first supporters since day 1. I think you’re becoming my imaginary friend too. I’m really so humbled that you think I’m qualified enough to give classes. It’s definitely in the back of my head. You’ll surely be the first to know if I ever make it happen. Thank you so much for your love.
      Love,
      Tasbih

      Reply

    • I’m in love with it too. That optical illusion of the bowl with a spoon handle and the head of Cleopatra is quiet genius! Now that you’ve said that it looks like a Japanese girl, I could totally see that too. Lol! You’ve just discovered a third dimension to it:)

      Reply

    • I feel ya’ girl. I drool at anything ‘lava’ too. A million thanks for following along & thanks for the pin!

      Reply

  4. Hi!! Loved this..every Nutellay bit of it…Meet me..ANother Nutella lover! I did a choco cupcake with mile high frosting tooo… but I love the idea of the nutella lava!! Yummm …and was thinking Caramel Popcorn topping in place of Ferrero Rocher… What do you think? Will that work?

    Reply

    • Hi Swayam:) What a pleasure to meet another Nutella lover; my favorite kind of people. Gotta go check your cupcake! Sounds delicious. And that caramel popcorn toppers would insanely good here…that caramel-y crunch with the smoothness of the frosting and gooeniess of the lava would be the perfect combo.

      Reply

  5. For the life of me I can’t figure out how you ended up with cupcakes to photograph. I would have licked up all that batter leaving me with nothing to show for it. My hubby is head over heals for Nutella. If he comes home to these, I surely will get the wife of the year award. Mmmm.

    Reply

    • Hahahaaa! You’re cracking me up here with your adorable comment. Wanna know how I ended with cupcakes to photograph? I’m on a diet! (sob, sob, sob!) To say that it was pure torture would be an understatement. But…gotta lose those recipe testing pounds. I hope your husband enjoys these to the extent of throwing you another wedding!

      Reply

  10. OMG, Tasbih! I am so in LOVE with your blog, recipes, and photographs. Every single photograph is tells an astounding story. And you are KILLING ‘a chocolate lover’ like me— with these gorgeous Nutella lava cupcakes! 😉 They look DAMN too delicious. It’s a major drooling! 🙂

    Reply

    • Oh Anu! You always have the nicest things to say. Thank you so much. And sorry for the chocolate torture; I know how it feels.

      Reply

    • Oh hey there Lindsay! What a pleasure to have you stop by. Coming from one of my favorite bloggers, your comment means the world to me! Thanks:)

      Reply

  17. Where is the recipe for the cupcake mix?haha i can’t find it XD i can see the recipe for the frosting, but not for the cake 🙂 but over it all, every thing on this blog looks delicious <33

    Reply

    • You’ll find the recipe for the cupcakes in the blueish box right underneath the photo where I’m placing the ferrero rocher on top of the cupcake. It should say: “for the cupcakes.” Its right on top of the frosting recipe.

      Reply

  18. I cant really imagine I did not discover you earlier!! Mashallah you are talented and yes as the 1st comment said you really have to offer classes one day and I will do my best to be there inshallah.

    wish you all the best.

    Reply

    • Thank you Alya so much! I’m so happy you found your way here. Hope you enjoy all the recipes. Will definitely let you know if I ever get the opportunity to give any classes:)

      Reply

    • You’re never too late when it comes to Nutella! I celebrate all year long:))) Thanks Alice! I’m so happy you like these.

      Reply

    • Hi Vera! It’s my pleasure! I don’t mind one bit. Your blog is beautiful by the way. Thanks for the feature:)

      Reply

  22. Hi!
    can these be made in advance? As in, if i do the batter one night, but baket it the next night? Or should it be baked rigth away? Same question regarding the batter and filling!

    Thank you! these look amazing. You won me over with the nutella theraphy cookies, they turned out amazing!

    Reply

    • Hi Valeria:) Perfect question on the perfect timing! I actually just made these yesterday to be devoured today at my son’s bake sale at school. He told me they sold out and people loved them! I have also made these several times in advance in two different ways and they both work perfectly. Just pick whichever works best for you. One way is to bake, fill, and frost them completely, then store them in an airtight container (like Tupperware) overnight. The next morning, I’d take them out of the fridge as soon as I wake up to give them enough time to soften back up and go back to room temperature. One thing I love about this cake is that it doesn’t dry out with refrigeration and the lava filling does not soak in, so no worries about them drying out or getting soggy. This is perfect for if you don’t have time the next day to assemble. The other option is to bake the cupcakes, let them cool then store them in an airtight container at room temperature (do not refrigerate). Make the frosting and filling, transfer to separate bowls, cover really really well with plastic wrap, then store in the refrigerator. The next morning, take the frosting and filling out of the fridge, let them come to room temperature, then fill and frost. I do this method a lot. I haven’t tried preparing the cake batter in advance then baking it the next day, so I can’t tell for sure if it’s gonna work. One thing I’ve noticed though, is that when I leave the cupcake batter to rest for 20 minutes after being scooped into the cupcake pan, they rise higher and tend to be fluffier. I will actually add that to the instructions. Hope this helps and I hope the cupcakes turn out fantastic!

      Reply

  25. Hi Tasbih Thankyou very much for sharing your recipe with us. I live in the UK and I was just wondering if you were able to give me the measurements in grams? The reason I ask is I have various cake books where they give measurements in cups which are not the same, I was slightly confused during the baking process, but as they have just came out the oven im hoping they are as delicious as my kitchen smells!!
    Tia jaynie

    Reply

    • Hi Jaynie!
      I really hope these turned out a major HIT!
      As I’m really not used to measuring in grams, I wrote the amounts of both the frosting & sauce recipes in ounces as well as in cups. Converting ounces to grams could easily be done using any online converter. However, because I did not develop the chocolate cake portion myself, but adapted it from Food Network, I only have it in cups, since this is what the website gave it in. I tried to look for a conversion on their website but sadly couldn’t find any. I will surely keep metric measurements in mind and try my best to include them in future recipes. Meanwhile , I’ll link you up to a reliable baking conversion chart which I’m confident will help.
      http://sweetopia.net/2013/06/weight-conversions-for-common-baking-ingredients-free-illustrated-printables/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+Sweetopia+(Sweetopia)

      http://sweetopia.net/2013/05/liquid-measure-equivalents-illustration-kitchen-conversion-series/

      Reply

      • Hi there many thanks for your reply. The cakes were a HUGE success to the point I am baking them again this morning. I’ve looked back and it’s the brown sugar and flour which I wasn’t clear of amounts. However I will stick to what I did previously as they were amazing. Thanks again for sharing jaynie

        Reply

        • So happy to hear that Jaynie:)) They are really my favorite chocolate cupcake of any kind. I just made them again a few days ago, but this time I added baking powder along with the baking soda that’s already there because I wanted an even fluffier cupcake with a higher rise & wow! What a difference that made. I recommend you trying it out if you prefer less fudgy cakes with a fluffier crumb. Whisk 1 1/2 tsp baking powder into the flour.

          Reply

  26. Hi Cleobuttera,

    These are the most amazing cupcakes I have ever tasted. I have been searching for a good Nutella Cupcake recipe (as I absolutely LOVE Nutella) that isn’t too sweet and these just blew my mind! I made a batch the other day and took them to the office and everyone loved them. Not only is it the best Nutella frosting, but the chocolate cupcakes are so moist and delicious! Thank you so much for sharing.
    Tegan – Austarlia

    Reply

    • Tegan you just made my day!! I’m ecstatic that you liked them! The chocolate cupcakes themselves have been my go-to for several years now, but I keep experimenting with other recipes in between, just to see if there’s anything better, but I keep coming back to this one. That soft texture is incomparable! So happy you liked the Nutella frosting too! Thanks for your sweet comment:)

      Reply

  27. Reallly want to try this but i’m not a fan of butter-cream/cream-cheese frosting, do you think the nutella taste covers the butteriness and tanginess of the frosting ? Another question, I know it says it makes about 3 1/2 cups of frosting, will there be leftovers ?

    Reply

    • There’s an ever so slight tang from the cream cheese but overall it does not taste like cream cheese frosting at all; if you didn’t know it’s in there, you wouldn’t taste it. I think it’s essential so the frosting doesn’t taste too buttery but feel free to substitute the cream cheese with equal amounts of butter. If tasted alone, the frosting does taste somewhat buttery but the Nutella does help cover it up. When paired with the cupcakes & Nutella sauce, you shouldn’t taste the butteriness because of the overall experience, especially if you don’t use a lot of frosting. As for the amount of frosting, it really depends on how much you put on there. If you use the same amount as I do in the pictures, then you won’t have leftover, if you just like a little smear of frosting, then I recommend halving the amount. Please refer to notes above the ingredients list.

      Reply

  28. Can I make frosting night before and leave in fridge so it’s ready to go next morning. Or will melted choc chips set?

    Also; loving this! I tried them last week and loved them. My daughter especially. So wanting to make for a birthday party.

    Reply

    • Hi Courtney:)
      I’m so happy you guys like the cupcakes! They are a HUGE hit at our house too.
      You sure can make the frosting the night before; I’ve actually done it several times. Just store in an airtight container or covered bowl and refrigerate. The frosting will of course harden in the fridge as it chills, so just take it out about an hour or two before you plan to use it so it comes back to room temperature. Once back to it soft state, give it a few stirs with a spatula and you’re all set to go.

      Reply

  29. The frosting and the filling were the best I have EVER made or eaten!!! I made for a birthday party and they were just phenomenal!! I could eat that frosting by the tons!!! Thanks soo much for this amazing recipe!! Loved the Nutellaness of it!! 🙂

    Reply

    • Yaaaaaay!!! Woot woooot! That’s awesome! Sorry…I’m just a little over excited that you liked it:))) And ‘Nutellaness’? Now that’s my kind of vocabulary:)

      Reply

  30. Hey Tasbih, I want to make these for Eid. Unfortunately where I live, sour cream isn’t readily available. Do you think I will be able to use buttermilk instead?
    P.S. I made crescent rolls and OMG they were outstanding!

    Reply

    • Hey Fariha:) I wouldn’t recommend substituting buttermilk here as it’s too lean for this recipe and will probably yield drier cupcakes. Greek yogurt would make a good substitute or you could make your own sour cream which is even better. I remember there was a time when Egypt was running low on sour cream for some reason, while most of my favorite recipes call for it. So I googled homemade sour cream and found so many tutorials and it’s so incredibly easy to make, but you need to plan a head though as it requires some time to stand. You just stir together heavy cream with some buttermilk in a jar and leave it at room temperature for about 24 hours…I think. It magically thickens and turns into some of the most amazing sour cream. You could find lots of videos on You Tube on how to make it.
      And the crescent rolls…I’m in love with them:)

      Reply

      • Thank you so much Tasbih for responding back. I will definitely make my own sour cream and report back to you on how these turned out after Eid!

        Reply

        • Hey Tasbih , hope you had a magnificent Eid! I made these cupcakes on Eid….and all I have to say is….wow! They are ridiculously good! Everybody loved them. With my two year old wailing a lot, it took me longer to make them but they were worth every effort. Thank You! Yep! Thank you.

          Reply

          • Hi Fariha! My Eid was awesome, hope yours was as well:) I’m thrilled to hear that you guys loved these cupcakes. Thank you for letting me know how they turned out; makes me so happy.

    • Romeo this is just so great to hear! I’m so happy you liked the frosting. It’s my favorite too because it’s packed with Nutella flavor without being too sweet.

      Reply

  32. Hi Tasbih! I love your website and beautiful pictures (that always make me hungry). So far I have made three of your recipes: Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies, Incredible Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Best and Most Stable Cream Cheese Frosting ever) and the Nutella Lava Cupcakes. They were all amazing and delicious, but these Nutella Lava Cupcakes have made me a rock star in my neighborhood and are a favorite in my house. I couldn’t believe how good they were, like better than at fancy bakeries in NYC (and I have eaten a lot of cupcakes in my life). Thank you soooo much for posting it, you are genius! The chocolate cupcakes are amazing just by themselves and even more decadent with the Nutella Frosting and lava fudge interior. These are now my go-to chocolate cupcakes for everything. Checking your website is now on my daily to-do-list and cannot wait for more recipes!! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Blanca you’re comment has made me so happy that I had to read it out loud to my husband 🙂 Nothing makes my day more than to get such amazing feedback from awesome readers like yourself. Knowing that a recipe has worked for you, makes all the effort put into producing a post so much worthwhile, and gives me the much-needed fuel to create more. I’m extremely glad that you’ve liked all the recipes that you’ve tried from here, but just like you, I tend to be bias towards these cupcakes, because Nutella conquers all right? 😀 Also it’s one of the first recipes that I developed all on my own, so it’s like my baby.
      I’m really honored to have you on board, and I really hope you enjoy all the recipes coming ahead.
      Thanks again for your sweet comment XOXO

      Reply

  33. Hi I made the cupcakes but my batter wasn’t runny, n my cupcakes were too moist n were breaking wen I was scooping to fill them… I think I had issue wud sour cream, if I can’t find from store please tell me how to make it the exact amount and adding more Nutella in d frosting would be okay? In wat ratio ?

    Reply

    • Hey Mariam 🙂 Sounds to me like something was off in the ingredients’ measurements. There might be a problem with the sour cream like you said that made the batter “break” but as soon as you pour the hot water on the batter, it transforms into a very soupy consistency. Also make sure that ALL your wet ingredients are at room temperature, as using cold ingredients could cause the batter to “break.”
      Are you sure you measured everything accurately? Which might also explain the dryness you experienced. If the fats & liquids are not the right amount in comparison to the dry ingredients, the cupcakes will end up dry. Overbaking also tends to dry out baked good, so watch out for that.
      I highly recommend sticking to sour cream for best results, but if you absolutely can’t find it, then yogurt is a good substitution especially the Greek kind if you can find it.
      You could add more Nutella in the frosting if you like, but note that this will produce a runnier frosting that doesn’t pipe well. It will be very loose but you could still spread it on the cupcake instead of piping it. Just keep adding Nutella in the end until you reach the desired flavor.
      Wishing you much better luck next time 🙂

      Reply

  34. You are adorable! I love the way you write – so fun! so bff hanging in the kitchen together! – and the recipes. Zomg, so amazing. Thanks for being a bright spark on the internet.

    -Lia, Boston

    Reply

    • Lia what a lovely comment from such a sweet person. Thank you so much! Your kind words have really made my day. I really wish I was baking with you guys in your own kitchens and so I try to imagine it really happening when writing. So happy you sensed it in my “voice.”
      Lots of love, Tasbih 🙂

      Reply

  35. Hello, I baked the cupcakes a few days back , my batter wasn’t very runny like u had mentioned and wen I baked them n started filling them once cooled they were breaking up. I made sour cream at home, was that a problem? please help how to make proper sour cream ?

    Reply

    • Hello Mariam 🙂 Nice to hear from you again. Please refer back to my answer to your previous comment above as I address most of your concerns.
      As for making homemade sour cream, I tried that a couple of times before & the results were good so I don’t think that was the problem. I find that homemade sour cream is looser in texture than store-bought though.
      The way I made sour cream is by combining 1 cup heavy cream with 1/4 cup buttermilk in a jar. Poke a few holes in the jar’s lid & leave it at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. The more you leave it out the more it will thicken.
      Hope that helps 🙂

      Reply

  36. Made these for my family for Christmas and they were an absolute hit! The only dessert completely devoured. When people but into them, their eyes rolled in the back of their heads and they nodded in agreement. My nine year old niece said, “Heaven!” My aunt called them a “Smash hit!”

    They are the moistest most satisfying and fun to eat dessert I have EVER had and I’m making them on two occasions: My birthday and Christmas!!!!

    Reply

    • Tania you have no idea how happy your comment makes me! I’m so honored the cupcakes were a part of your holiday celebration & did not let you down. So glad they were hit with everyone! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
      Have the happiest birthday & enjoy the holidays to the max!

      Reply

  37. These are going to be my new go to for cupcakes. And the frosting is going on everything although mine was much darker than yours. I guess I’ll have to make it again. Thanks for the great recipe!!

    Reply

    • Greg that’s so amazing to hear! So happy you loved the cupcakes. These have been my go to for so many years too but recently cheated on it with this one:
      http://cleobuttera.com/cupcakes/chocolate-cloud-cupcakes/
      and now I seriously don’t know which one I love more. Guess I’m gonna have to bake them side by side to be able to decide 😄
      Thank you so much for your awesome feedback! It’s comments like yours that make my day😊

      Reply

  38. I’m baking this right now! AIngredient list doesn’t have baking powder but instructions call for it… How much?

    Reply

    • Hi Adria😊 The ingredients used to have baking powder but I omitted it since several readers have commented that it made the cupcakes overflow in volcanic eruptions 😁 I think it might have to do with different types of cocoa used by different people that caused this. Using just baking soda proved to have worked consistently with everyone. I just forgot to delete it from the instructions. My bad.

      Reply

  39. Hi, I was looking for Nutella filled cupcakes the other day and came across this recipe. Tried it but instead of using the chocolate cake recipe, I made vanilla. Mashallah they came out amazing. Everyone loved these. The centre was Nutella-y and the icing was amazingly soft and smooth. Will definitely be making these again. Xxx

    Reply

    • Yummy! Your description sounds amazing; you’re making me hungry😋 It’s so great to hear that you liked the center sauce & frosting recipes! I’m so happy your cupcakes were a hit!

      Reply

  40. I am in the middle of making this and I noticed the instructions call for baking powder but there isn’t any baking power measurements in the ingredients….. I need help ASAP please. My batter is going to go bad

    Reply

    • Oh gosh so sorry. Just saw this now. There’s NO baking powder. The recipe used to include baking powder at one point, but I omitted it because it caused some problems for some people, like causing the batter to overflow too much. I forgot to delete it from the instructions though. I’ll fix that now. Thanks for pointing it out and I apologize for the confusion.

      Reply

  41. Hi there! Love love love. Looks amazing and I’m trying them out today! Only 1 problem, we don’t get sour cream in Africa lol and I don’t know what to substitute it for. Help pls?:) x

    Reply

  42. OMG OMG OMG….. I love these to the moon and back ten times over. I made these two weekends in a row and I think my boyfriend may have proposed. Lolol. I am now a hit amongst his friends and they now call me the cupcake girl. Thank you for sharing your recipe and making me feel like a culinary Goddess! I am now a dedicated follower.

    Reply

  43. Hi Tasbih,

    Howbto make the frosting more stiff? I tried this earlier afternoon but the frosting lil bit runnier and i dont like to add icing sugar into the frosting. Any suggestion?

    Btw the result was amazing my hubs really enjoy eating it. Its a perfect scored!

    Tx u

    Reply

  44. I’m thrilled that you liked them Dina!
    Sounds like either your kitchen was too warm or your butter was too soft or the melted chocolate was too hot when you poured it in. First, make sure that the butter is at cool room temperature; so its pliable but not squishy soft. Also try adding the cream cheese cold from the fridge. Second, make sure that you allow the melted chocolate enough time to cool before adding it in, as if its too warm, it could melt the butter and soften the frosting. When I’m making this on hot days, I like to place the frosting in the fridge for about an hour before using it. This does the trick to stiffen it. Keep in mind that the frosting has melted chocolate in it and the chocolate needs time to set. If that wasn’t the case and your kitchen, butter and chocolate were cool enough, then I’d suggest you increase the amount of the melted chocolate. As the melted chocolate sets, it give the frosting stability, so by adding more, it will stiffen it even more. The flavor of the Nutella will not be as strong though, as the flavor of the chocolate will take over a bit, still good though. I’d add 1/2 an ounce of each kind of chocolate chips.
    Good luck and happy baking 🙂

    Reply

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