One decadent recipe for one special person or why not a special crowd. These Nutella Filled Cupcakes Topped with Chocolate-Covered Strawberries and a delicious vanilla buttercream frosting will make anyone fall in love!
Preheat the oven to 350ºF {180ºC} and line the muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Cream the butter on medium speed until it’s very soft and creamy then add little by little the sugar mix for about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl sift and mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Start adding to the butter mixture without turning off the mixer vanilla extract and the eggs one at a time.
When the eggs are completely incorporated add the coloring food. This step is optional.
Add half of the flour and beat on low speed until incorporated.
Next, add the milk and mix.
Add the other half of the flour and beat on low speed until the mixture is homogeneous. Turn off the mixer.
Divide evenly the batter for 12 cupcakes up to 2/3 of the capacity and bake for about 20-22 minutes. To make sure insert a toothpick in the middle and if it comes clean it’s done.
Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack, until they cool completely.
FROSTING
In a stand mixer with a whisk whip the butter for about 2-3 minutes over medium-high speed scrap the bowl once or twice during that time.
Add little by little the powder sugar on slow speed.
Once it’s all incorporated, scrape the sides and add the milk and vanilla whipping again on medium-high speed again for 3-5 minutes.
The buttercream will turn almost white and its texture will become very creamy.
CHOCOLATE DIP
Melt the chocolate chips in double boiler.
When you see it’s soft then start whipping until there are no lumps.
Turn off the heat and leave it there.
CUPCAKE DECORATION.
When the cupcakes are cool make a small hole in the middle of the cupcakes. I used an apple corer. I pressed it down then turned it around a bit and pulled most of them the centerpiece came out with the tool.
Keep just the top part as a lid.
Fill the hole with Nutella or your favorite chocolate, you can use an icing bag or just a ziplock cutting one corner.
Put the cupcake lid back.
With an icing bag and a big closed star tip, pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake.
COVERING THE STRAWBERRIES
Wash your strawberries well and let them dry.
With very clean hands, dip the strawberries one by one in the hot chocolate and put them on top of the frosting.
Once the chocolate cools off again the chocolate will harden and look so pretty.