Quick and easy Nutella cupcakes recipe with cake mix box, homemade with simple ingredients. Soft and moist, filled with creamy chocolate hazelnut Nutella spread and topped off with a swirl of Nutella buttercream frosting.
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This delicious hazelnut spread is famous in my house. In fact, we love it so much around here that I have created many recipes using it, such as Nutella Syrup (2 Ingredients), Mini Nutella Cheesecake (No Bake) and Easy Nutella Brownies (3 Ingredients). And don't tell, but sometimes I just eat it by the spoonful right out of the jar!
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Key ingredients for chocolate hazelnut cupcakes
- Eggs- These should be large and at room temperature.
- Oil- Contributes to ideal texture and moisture content.
- Whole milk- Brings in a nice creamy consistency.
- Brewed Coffee- Make sure it is strong.
- Hazelnut extract- You can also use hazelnut liqueur.
- Chocolate cake mix- You can use your favorite brand as long as it is a 15.25 oz box.
- Nutella- Chocolate hazelnut spread that melts in your mouth. Try to use the real brand and not the copycat products available in the market these days.
- Nutella frosting- A simple and delicious addition to take the hazelnut flavor to the top.
Variations
- Pair with another frosting flavor- Like Strawberry Frosting (With Fresh Strawberries) or Oreo buttercream frosting featured in this recipe for Oreo Cupcakes (With Cake Mix).
- Try another filling- Such as this Homemade Banana Pudding (No Bake) For more ideas, check out this compilation of Frosting and Filling Recipes.
- Easy cupcake decorating ideas- Top off the cupcakes with a Ferrero Rocher candy and a drizzle of my Chocolate Ganache or Easy Chocolate Glaze (For Cakes, Donuts) to really elevate the appearance and flavor too.
- Red velvet option- Add in red food coloring like I did in these Best Red Velvet Cupcakes to make this an extra fun treat, especially during Christmas or Valentines.
- Double/triple chocolate version- Use chocolate frosting on this dessert and even fill them with Hershey's Kisses or Chocolate Ganache Frosting.
- Add nuts- Simply chop up your favorite nuts, such as pistachios, walnuts, or peanuts and add them to the batter for a nutty crunch.
- Top with fresh fruit- Whether with our without frosting, you can add a nice touch with fresh raspberries or strawberries.
- Sprinkle the tops- With chopped/crushed nuts, shredded coconut, various sprinkles, crushed candy bars, chocolate curls, or mini chocolate chips.
How to make easy Nutella cupcakes recipe with cake mix box?
- Mix together- Eggs, oil, milk, coffee and hazelnut extract.
- Add in- Chocolate cake mix and combine.
- Pour batter- Into liners and bake.
- Prepare frosting- During baking and cooling time.
- Fill center of cupcakes- With Nutella.
- Use a piping bag- To make a frosting swirl on top.
Tips and techniques
- I stuffed the center of these cupcakes- With chocolate hazelnut spread. If you have never done this before, please check out my detailed post on How to Make Filled Cupcakes (Stuffed Cupcakes).
- If you would like to get a quick tutorial on how to pipe swirls on cupcakes- Be sure to check out this post on How to Decorate Cupcakes.
- Don't over-mix- Or they will have a tough texture. Just remember that a few lumps in the batter is okay.
- To decorate cupcakes- Check out my Cake Decorating Tutorials for more tips and tricks. Always be sure to decorate cooled cupcakes.
- Use room temperature ingredients- For even mixing and making sure everything blends nicely.
- Don't fill a hot cupcake- You need to wait until it is cooled down in order to get them to look right.
- Must use hazelnut extract/liqueur- To get the proper flavor. Don't substitute another extract unless you want to completely change the flavor profile.
Recipe FAQs
Use a piping bag filled with desired filling. Attach a long tip and hold it at a 90 degree angle at the top. Gently push about halfway through the center then squeeze the bag to fill the center.
On its own, no it cannot be used as icing but it can be used as a filling. However, mixing hazelnut butter with butter and powdered sugar can make an icing.
This can happen if you try to substitute the oil with butter. It can also happen if you try adding Nutella directly to the cake mix. Be sure to measure out all ingredients precisely for best results.
No. I tried this and it made the cupcakes dense and surprisingly did not not add any flavor to the batter. Filling the cupcakes after baking added a lot of the chocolate hazelnut flavor though.
Storage
- Make ahead- These can easily be made in advance if you have a busy day a head. Simply make, cool, and place in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Room temperature- I recommend eating them fresh, but they can be set out for up to 4 hours.
- Refrigerate- Place in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze- Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in a sealed container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge, frost, and enjoy!
More easy cupcakes
- Easy Almond Cupcakes (Sour Cream Cupcakes)
- Oreo Cupcakes (Cake Mix)
- Brownie Cupcakes (From Scratch)
- Boston Cream Cupcakes
- Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes (Valentine's Day Cupcakes)
Recipe
Easy Nutella Cupcakes (Cake Mix)
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Ingredients
- 4 Eggs Large, Room temperature
- ½ cup Oil
- ½ cup Whole milk Can also use hazelnut flavored half and half
- ½ cup Coffee Strongly brewed
- 2 teaspoon Hazelnut extract Or hazelnut liqueur
- 1 box Chocolate cake mix 15.25 oz. box
- ¾ cups Nutella
- 3 cups Nutella frosting (Chocolate hazelnut buttercream)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add eggs, oil, milk, brewed coffee, hazelnut extract and mix until smooth.
- Add the chocolate cake mix and mix until just combined. Don't over-mix. A few lumps in the batter are completely fine.
- Pour batter in cupcake liners and bake at 350 degrees F for 16-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are baking and cooling, prepare the frosting.
- Fill a piping bag with Nutella and attach the long filling tip (Wilton tip 230). Hold the piping bag on top of the cupcake at a 90 degree angle and gently push it through the center, about halfway through. Then, squeeze your piping bag until the center of cupcake starts filling up and gradually pull away.
- Fill a piping bag with frosting and attach Wilton Tip 1M (large star tip) and pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake. Enjoy.
Notes
- All ingredients for the cupcakes must be at room temperature to allow for even blending and mixing.
- Do not over-mix the cupcake batter because that will yield very tough, gummy and rubbery cupcakes that no one likes.
- Do not fill or frost warm cupcakes because the filling and frosting will melt and create a sticky mess.
- Make sure not to over-bake cupcakes because that will make them dry and cause all the moisture to evaporate in the oven.
- Do not even think about omitting the hazelnut extract because that's the key ingredient which gives these cupcakes a nutty flavor.
- Please note that cake mix boxes are getting smaller in size. This recipe needs a 15.25 oz. box. If you have a smaller box, use the powder from 2 boxes and a weighing scale to measure out 15.25 oz.
- You must use oil in the batter and not replace it with butter because that yields a dense and heavy texture.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
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