Chocolate Espresso cupcakes | with Nutella cream cheese Frosting

Super moist chocolate espresso cupcakes with Nutella cream cheese swirl frosting. Coffee, Chocolate, and Nutella in one of the best combinations out there

Coffee brings out the intensity of chocolate very well, and when you add to that cream cheese and Nutella frosting, then it will be irresistible. In addition to that, the sweetness of the frosting and the slight tang of the cream cheese make this totally worth it.

In my opinion, every baker should have a vanilla and chocolate cupcake recipe handy because once you have a good recipe, you can make changes and come up with interesting combinations. I do have a moist vanilla cupcake and eggless chocolate cupcake, but as I am not a vegetarian, I thought a chocolate cupcake version with egg is a must too.

On the other hand, the frosting is like a right attire for a cupcake. Even a super delicious cupcake seems empty without its frosting. Needless to say, if you spot a double swirl, you just want to jump right into it. Have you recently noticed the attention Nutella has been getting? It’s used everywhere, from cupcakes to cakes, pudding, and so many desserts and I totally understand why.

To create a double swirl, transfer half the cream cheese frosting into another bowl and mix in Nutella. Invert a piping bag in a glass. Fill half of the bag with cream cheese frosting and the other half with Nutella. Carefully rotate the ends and squeeze the air bubbles out. Start decorating.

To create a swirl like the one above, start with the outer side of the cupcake and work towards inside, in circles and when you reach the center, carefully lift the piping bag. Check out the youtube video at the end of the recipe.

When piping, the 1st one could be all Nutella or just cream cheese, but eventually, you will start to see the swirls. If you like to decorate your cupcakes, then two shade is the way to go.

I have created two-toned designs on the red velvet poke cake and now this.

You can use Wilton 2D decorating tip to create the swirl. Place the piping bag in a tall glass and then with a spatula add the frosting inside the bag. This way things will be little less messy.

Like always I have shown you how moist and airy the inside of the cupcake looks.

Lately, I have been using cream cheese frosting for all my frosting needs. Well, that’s my favorite and happens to be the 1st choice of people around me. I do like whipped cream, but it doesn’t go well when piping and can deflate if not stored at the right temperature. Buttercream icing is my least favorite of all, but I have used it on my vanilla cupcakes.

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Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes with Nutella and cream cheese swirl

Mini cupcakes - Fill only half and baking time is 7-8 minutes

Servings: 18 cupcakes, 48 mini cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 cup 180g all-purpose flour/maida
• 1/2 cup 50g cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons 85g butter
• 1 and 1/4 cup 250g sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup 120ml milk
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup 120ml hot water
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules Optional
• CREAM CHEESE AND NUTELLA FROSTING:
• 1 stick 4oz(113g) butter
• 8 oz 225g cream cheese
• 1 and 1/2 cups 190g confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup 4oz(120ml) Nutella
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit or 190 Degrees Celsius.
2. Whisk together flour + cocoa powder + baking soda + baking powder + salt and keep aside.
3. In a bowl, add melted butter + sugar and beat well till the sugar dissolves. Add oil + vanilla extract and mix well. Now add the egg and beat for a minute scraping off the sides. Throw in the milk and vinegar and mix.
4. Add the flour to the wet ingredients and mix well until flour is fully incorporated. Do not over mix. Add coffee granules to 1/2 cup of hot water and pour this into the batter. Whisk well again.
5. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cupcake come out clean.
6. CREAM CHEESE AND NUTELLA FROSTING:
7. Beat butter + cream cheese until soft. Add in sugar little at a time. Mix the vanilla. Taste and adjust the sugar if needed. Transfer 1/2 of cream cheese into another bowl. Add the Nutella. Invert a piping bag fitted with your decorating tip into a glass. Fill half side with plain cream cheese frosting and half side with Nutella frosting. It doesn't have to be perfect. The 1st one might have only Nutella or only cream cheese frosting. NJOY

Recipe Notes

I used a Wilton decorating tip 2D.
Here is a video I found on youtube on how to create swirl.

I used a 12 capacity muffin tin and then poured the remaining batter into a 6 inch greased cake pan.