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Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes with Caramel Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Super soft, delicate and moist hazelnut cupcakes with a caramel-infused chocolate ganache frosting. These taste like a leveled-up version of Ferrero Rocher and you will be blown away by the rich hazelnut taste! The pairing of chocolate, hazelnut and caramel is blissful.
Ingredients
Cupcake batter:
- 6 tablespoon (84g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon (30ml) olive oil
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (100g) roasted hazelnuts, finely ground
- 1 ¼ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk
Caramel Chocolate Ganache frosting:
- 10 oz (284g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon (30ml) Rich Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup (237ml) 35% heavy whipping cream
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Roast the hazelnuts. Place raw hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and fragrant. Let cool slightly and then rub off skins using a tea towel. You can also toast them in a dry frying pan over medium heat with frequent shaking so they toast evenly.
- Transfer cooled hazelnuts to a food processor and pulse until hazelnuts are very finely ground.
- Make the cake batter. Beat soft butter with sugar, oil and vanilla in a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer for 2 minutes on medium-high speed until pale and creamy. Beat in eggs one a time until very pale (almost white) and fluffy. Mix in ground roasted hazelnuts.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add half of it to the butter/egg mixture and mix on medium-low, then gradually pour in the milk and mix until it becomes smooth. Mix in the remaining flour mixture until it is just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among cupcake papers filling them about ¾ full and bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden and slightly firm to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
- Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before transferring individual cupcakes to the rack to cool completely.
- Make the frosting. Place chopped chocolate and caramel sauce in a large bowl and set aside. Pour cream into a 1-quart stainless steel saucepan and place over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Once simmering, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Cover the bowl and set aside for 2 minutes. Then, stir gently in concentric circles starting in the center and working your way out to the edges until it becomes glossy and smooth. Stir in salt. Place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes total, checking on it and stirring every 5 minutes. You are waiting for it to thicken up like pudding, but it should be set or firm.
- Once thickened, beat with an electric handheld mixer on medium speed for 30-60 seconds until aerated and fluffy. Do not over-whip or it can stiffen up and turn grainy. Use it immediately to frost the cupcakes.
- Decorate. Drizzle some Salted Caramel Sauce over each cupcake and sprinkle more chopped roasted hazelnuts on top.
