Mini Chocolate Cupcakes With Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting
These are the most tender cupcakes that I have ever tried. When we had my sister’s bridal shower, we had a pretty large collection of different sweets, but these are the cute little cakes that I kept sneaking into my mouth. I just couldn’t get enough of them. As I have told you before, my sister, Elina, is the Cupcake Queen. She finds the best recipes and is so creative by coming up with many different combinations of flavors.
These are mini cupcakes, so they are a perfect mouthful. Personally, I like mini cupcakes, because if I eat one of the regular sized cupcakes, that’s the same as a large slice of cake. I can barely finish one. Whenever I can, I like to make the mini cupcakes. You can certainly use this recipe to bake regular sized cupcakes, just bake it longer. The cupcake itself is so tender, soft and chocolaty. It’s a recipe from Paula Deen. I added a bit of chocolate liquer, which I sneak in to any chocolate baking that I do, just because it taste SO GOOD. It really intensifies the chocolate flavor.
The frosting is cream cheese baked, with chocolate hazelnut spread, Nutella. Nutella makes everything taste better! Of course, I had to put in more chocolate liqueur into the frosting:). I also added some whipped cream, creating a fluffy, souffle-like texture. Cupcakes are so quick to make, and don’t take too much effort to decorate either. Not only does this frosting look pretty, it actually tastes good too. (I am not a fan of buttercream.)
Let’s get baking:).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the cupcake liners in the cupcake pans.
Combine all the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix using the whisk attachment, or a hand mixer. 
Add the liquid ingredients – coffee, oil, eggs, vanilla and chocolate liqueur and mix to combine. 
Fill the cupcake cups about 2/3 full. Use a Tablespoon measuring spoon, it works perfectly. (Another cupcake trick I slyly spied from Elina). 
Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool. 
Meanwhile, make the frosting. Using a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and condensed milk until creamy and combined. 
Add the nutella, chocolate liqueur (optional) and vanilla. Mix to combine. (Give the frosting a taste. If you want a more chocolaty taste, add more Nutella or some melted chocolate.) 
In a chilled bowl and whisk attachment (I stick mine in the freezer before I start making the cupcakes) whip up the heavy cream until peaks form. Gently fold into the rest of the frosting. Chill the frosting in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, so it firms up. 
Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
- 2¼ cups flour
- 1¾ cups sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup brewed coffee, or use instant coffee dissolved in water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup oil
- 3 eggs
- ½ Tablespoon chocolate liquer, optional
- 2 (8 oz each) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 can condensed milk
- ⅔ cups Nutella
- 2 teaspoons chocolate liquer, optional
- ¾ cup heavy cream, chilled
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the cupcake liners in the cupcake pans.
- Combine all the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix using the whisk attachment, or a hand mixer.
- Add the liquid ingredients - coffee, oil, eggs, vanilla and chocolate liqueur and mix to combine.
- Fill the cupcake cups about ⅔ full. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool.
- FOR THE FROSTING:
- Using a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and condensed milk until creamy and combined.
- Add the nutella, chocolate liqueur (optional) and vanilla. Mix to combine.
- In a chilled bowl and whisk attachment (I stick mine in the freezer before I start making the cupcakes) whip up the heavy cream until peaks form. Gently fold into the rest of the frosting. Chill the frosting in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, so it firms up.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
33 Comments
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Natasha
These look delicious!!!!! I will definitely make these cupcakes for my daughters 3rd birthday next Friday!!!!!!
I love your blog, Olga!!!! So many great recipes!!!! Keep up the good work:) God bless!
Lea's Cooking
What an amazing recipe!!! Can’t wait to make these!!!
Natasha
Can’t wait to try it. By the way, do you also have the recipe for the lemon frosting cupcakes your sister made?
olgak7
Hi Natasha!
I do have the recipe. I’ll be posting it soon.
Angel
Hi, I’m new too all this baking extravaganza. I mixed the milk & cream cheese, but I don’t have a paddle attachment. My base is clumpy…would it be alright to use a regular electric mixer with standard attachments?? Please help!
olgak7
Yes, Angel, you can use a regular hand mixer. Was your cream cheese softened at room temperature? That is very important. If you start with cold cream cheese, you will not be able to make it smooth, no matter how long you mix.
Natasha
I made these cupcakes. One word – DELICIOUS, especially the frosting.
Milana
These are by far the most delicious chocolate cupcakes ever! Loved everything about them. Thank you for posting this!
elina
love these cupcakes! moist and delicious!
olgak7
They are my favorite for sure! So soft….
Lanchick
Hi Olga! These look so delish!! In wondering where I can find the chocolate liqueur? And the vanilla you use is that in liquid form or powdery like the European stores carry? Thx
olgak7
Hi Lanchik!
You can find chocolate liqueur in any liquor store. It’s optional, but totally worth it. The flavor is amazing! I always use liquid vanilla, but you can use the powdered too.
lena b
Hi Olga, I made these but cream is too thin and runny, how can I thicken it up? Is it was in the refer for more than an hour… otherwise they are really good.
olgak7
Lena,
The frosting will be thinner than buttercream, but it should still be firm enough to pipe onto the cupcakes. You can thicken it up with more cream cheese or butter. Make sure it’s at room temperature and cream it separately before folding it into the rest of the frosting.
lena b
Thanks for a quick reply!
Dina
You should try making the frosting with cream cheese and nutella only, and you can add rum or liquor. It’s awesome for cupcakes.
Katerina
How much vanilla did you use? I didn’t see the amount in the ingredients. Thanks!
olgak7
I honestly never measure vanilla. It’s one of those ingredients that you can just eyeball. I would guess about 1 teaspoon.
Mira
I love how you use coffee for the cupcake batter, since the flavor gets very intense. I’m curious to try this frosting, I’me made mini cheesecake cups with similar ingredients.
natalia
Hi, could i whipped topping instead of beating the heavy cream myself for the cream?
natalia
could i use*
olgak7
Yes, you can, Natalia.
Natalia
Olga, thank you for the quick reply!!
Lena
I really like this frosting. I’m thinking about using it in a cake. What cake do you think will go well with it?
olgak7
I have a chocolate cake recipe that you can check out: Chocolate Truffle Cake.
irina
I made it, and I taste the baking soda. I don’t know why? I do everything the same.
olgak7
I don’t know why, Irina. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
Charlie
What is the role of condense milk in this frosting recipe ? Is it critical to include it?
I love the your (frosting) method of folding whipped cream into the mixture to create soufflé -like texture.
Charlie
What is the role of condense milk in the frosting recipe ? Is it critical ?
I love your method of folding whipped cream into the mixture to create souffle-like consistency for the frosting.
olgak7
Condensed milk gives sweetness to the frosting as well as plays a role in the flavor and texture. You can omit it, if you want.
camilla
is it possible to add print option for this recipe
Lena
These are my favorite. I am always asked to do them, kids love them and adults enjoying then as well. Love that they are mini cupcakes..
Natallia
Olga. I just made these for my son’s birthday. Do you know why my cupcakes turned out so dry inside ? I used avocado oil. Is that the type of oil problem or smth else ?