Oh hi there. Sorry for the unexpected delay in posting. We just spent a long weekend in San Francisco (my first time!) visiting friends and eating our way through the Bay Area. We had a great time but I came back with a fever and a bad case of the “really do not feel good’s”- pretty sure that’s the technical term- so I’m going to keep this short and simple. Make these small batch hot cocoa cupcakes now.
You will love them because: 1) they are super delicious, 2) the recipe makes 6 chocolate cupcakes- perfect for you and your boo, you and the fam, or you know, just you (no judgment), 3) they are the perfect treat for the 6 feet of snow we’ve had in the last 3 weeks, and 4) did I mention they are chocolatey delicious? For realz. Just check out the nutella whipped cream filling.
Put the top back on.
Chocolate cupcake + gooey nutella whipped cream filling + whipped cream/fluff frosting = the most delicious hot cocoa cupcake ever. You won’t regret it.
Hot cocoa cupcakes
Makes: 6 cupcakes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup warm water
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp yogurt
- 1½ tbsp canola oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the filling
- 2 tbsp nutella
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
For the frosting
- ½ cup fluff/marshmallow creme
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- up to 2 tsp confectioners sugar (optional)
Directions
To make the cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cupcake tin with 6 paper liners.
Add the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and whisk well. Add the egg, warm water, milk, yogurt and canola oil and stir by hand until well-mixed. This took me about 4 minutes. Divide the batter equally between the 6 cupcake liners (about ⅔ full). You’ll need to really scrape down the bowl.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached. Let cool on a wire rack.
To make the filling
Add the nutella to the bowl of a standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. Whip using the whisk attachment for 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and mix with the whisk attachment on medium high speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for another 1-2 minutes or until soft peaks form. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
To make the frosting
Add the fluff to the bowl of a standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. Whip using the whisk attachment for 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and mix with the whisk attachment on medium high speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for another 2-3 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Add the vanilla and mix for another 30 seconds. You can add a couple teaspoons of confectioners sugar if needed.
To assemble the cupcakes
Use a small paring knife to cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake. Fill with the nutella whipped cream filling. Slice off the top of each cone and place on top of the filling. Frost with the fluff whipped cream frosting and try not to eat them all in one sitting.
Notes
Cupcake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
This makes a very generous amount of frosting.
I recommend keeping the cupcakes refrigerated. Remove from fridge about ½ hour-1 hour before serving.
