Nifty Nutella Cupcakes

This was my first creation by request - I stumbled upon this recipe, courtesy of Family Kitchen, and my cousin, Christy, wanted me to let her know how it was!
So here you go, Christy! You judge for yourself! :)

Nutella has never been my favorite... it is good, but not the first thing I reach for in my cabinet. But these cupcakes have changed my perspective on this chocolate-hazelnutty spread! Nutella is not only in the cupcake batter, not only in the buttercream frosting... but also in its pure form inside the cupcake!




Ingredients:
Cupcakes:

• 2/3 cups Nutella
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (I used my old standby: Hersheys!)
• 2 teaspoonsful baking soda
• 1 teaspoonful baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoonful salt
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened (my recipe didn't say salted or unsalted, so I used unsalted and it came out fine!)
• 2 and 1/2 cups buttermilk (a good way to not waste the buttermilk from my last recipe!)

Frosting:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoonsful vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
Cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flours, cocoa, baking soda and powder, and salt. Then just mix it around a bit to incorporate it all. (This stage made me realize I need a real sifter, since the only one we have hold maybe a cup worth of flour. I'm thinking this one from cooking.com: SIFTER!... Only $20, but I'm poor.)
In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick, and then add the butter and beat. Then add the Nutella and the buttermilk, and beat until incorporated.
Wear an apron if you have one, this splattered on me. I'm sad I left my big, fat, greek apron upstairs.


Add in the flour mixture about 1 to 2 cups at a time, mixing well after each addition. Fill cupcake tins to about 2/3 full, and bake for about 25 minutes.
(This recipe made me 40+ cupcakes, so I had to do multiple batches, make sure you account for that when you set out to make these cupcakes!)


*Fun Tip!: If you have a pastry bag with a round tip... while the cupcakes are still warm, fill the pastry bag with Nutella, and pipe into the center of the cupcake! Fun surprise!*


Frosting:
*Note: allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. I used this opportunity to go to Papa Ginos and grab some yummy cheese pizzas!*
Beat together the butter and the Nutella until it is nice and creamy, and then mix in the vanilla extract. Add in the powdered sugar, and mix well. Use the heavy cream to change the consistency as desired - it took me about 3 tablespoons until I liked where it was.


And there ya go! Frost however you want. I topped with chocolate shavings. Yumm!

Pre - chocolate shavings... Just a few of the MANY cupcakes this recipe made!