Baking Recipes
I was looking through some older posts the other day, and I came across these Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting. And while I have been fixated on Nutella desserts, I had almost forgotten how much I loved the way the sweet and hazelnutty flavour and creamy texture of Nutella added a much-welcome addition to these otherwise classic (but awesome) chocolate cupcakes. So this week I decided to make a super-simple, quick and easy cake version of those cupcakes, embracing quality dark chocolate, extra dark cocoa powder and, of course, Nutella.
Cupcake Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (180g)
1 1/2 cups granulated SUGAR (300g)
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (75g)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (8mL)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda 3mL)
3/4 teaspoon salt (3mL)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (45mL)
3/4 cup buttermilk (180mL)
3/4 cup warm water (180mL)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5mL)
3 packets of kinder brueno
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350F/170C. Using a stand mixer, combine all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) and mix. Turn mixer to low and add eggs, vanilla, oil, water and buttermilk. Mix until combined. Line muffin/cupcake pan with liners and place a tablespoon of batter in the bottom of the well. Repeat until all wells are filled and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Nutella Buttercream
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (240g)
2 cups icing sugar (200g)
3/4 cup Nutella (180mL)
3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk (45mL)
2 teaspoons vanilla EXTRACT (10mL)
chopped hazelnuts for decorating
Procedure:
In bowl of a stand mier, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add icing sugar and combine. Add vanilla, Nutella and cream one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
*Once cupcakes are cool, pipe buttercream onto cupcake and coat sides with hazelnuts.
*Pipe additional Nutella on top of buttercream to add colour.
Just another day, I wanted surprise Bf by baking his favourite molten lava cake as a motivation for him to pull through this 10 days of stay in. Nevertheless, the molten lava cake didnt come off well but edible enough to be consumed. I remembered him telling me how much he loves my molten lava cake. I even baked it on his last year birthday. But right now, beside giving him moral support and tender care, I guess this could allow him to smile through this 2 weeks smoothly (: Jiayou BF!
Anyway, recipe here if one is interested to make.
50 g bittersweet chocolate (1.8 oz), chopped
60 g unsalted butter (2 oz)
2 tablespoons caster sugar (28 g)
1 egg, medium-sized
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (30 ml)
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour (5 g)
1 /2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (2.5 g)
To prepare ramekins, extra butter and cocoa powder
For dusting, extra confectioners’ sugar
Directions
Preparation Butter and dust with cocoa powder two ramekins.
Make the batter
Melt chopped chocolate and butter in a double boiler or microwave.
In a mixing bowl, add in an egg, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until combined. I used canola oil today. Don’t use extra virgin oil for this recipe.
Add in melted chocolate and butter mixture and whisk until homogeneous.
Finally add in the flour and whisk to combine. Divide the batter evenly among ramekins.
Bake
Bake in the oven preheated to 425 degrees F. (220 C.) for 13 minutes. The center of the CAKE should be soft.
To serve
Turn the ramekins out on a serving plate and wait for 10 seconds and then unmould. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve when hot.
Till then.
