Chocolate Hazelnut Praline Cupcakes Recipe
These rich chocolate cupcakes are filled with caramel and candied hazelnuts and topped off with a fudgy icing.
Equipment
- Hand Mixer or optional
- 1 Stand Mixer optional
- 1 Food Scale optional
- 1 Liquid Measure Cups
- Cupcake Pans (makes 18 cupcakes)
- Cupcake Liners
- Silpat or buttered cookie pan
Ingredients
Hazelnut Praline
- 1 Cup Hazelnuts, roasted and chopped into pieces
- 66 Grams Granulated Sugar (⅓ Cup)
- 2 tablespoon Water
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 75 Grams Cocoa Powder (¾ cup) Use a combination of dark cocoa powder and regular cocoa powder for a richer chocolate taste and appearance.
- 260 Grams All Purpose Flour (2 cups) (2 cups)
- 400 Grams Granulated Sugar (2 cups)
- 2 tablespoon Corn Starch
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil (6 fluid ounces)
- 4 Large Eggs Room temperature
- 1 ¼ Cup Brewed Coffee (10 fluid ounces) May substitute water
Fudge Icing
- 8 Fluid Ounces Heavy Cream (1 cup)
- 2 Fluid Ounces Light Corn Syrup (¼ cup)
- 350 Grams Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped into chunks (12 ounces)
- 85 Grams Unsalted Butter, room temperature (6 tablespoon / ¾ stick)
Caramel
- 4 Fluid Ounces Caramel Sauce, store bought or homemade (½ cup)
Instructions
Hazelnut Praline
- If using whole hazelnuts, chop into smaller pieces (approximately 5 pieces for hazelnut).
- In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the 2 tablespoons water and 66 grams (⅓ cup) granulated sugar.
- Stirring constantly, cook the water/sugar mixture until it starts to boil and begins to turn an amber color
- Immediately remove from the heat once the mixture turns an amber color and carefully stir in the hazelnuts.
- Very carefully pour the praline mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet or Silpat. Let cool completely.
- Chop the praline into small pieces and set aside for filling and topping the cupcakes.
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Line the cupcake pans with liners.
- Combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, salt, baking powder and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer. If mixing by hand or with a hand mixer, combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Add oil and eggs and mix until combined.
- Slowly pour brewed coffee into bowl while continuing to mix, scraping the bowl occasionally. The batter should be smooth.
- Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners.
- Bake for 22 - 25 minutes, or until cupcakes are fully risen and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
- Place cupcakes on a rack and allow to cool completely before filling and icing.
Fudge Icing
- Place the chocolate in a bowl.
- Combine cream and corn syrup and bring to a boil.
- Pour cream/corn syrup over chocolate.
- Let stand 2 – 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Add softened butter and stir until smooth.
- Allow the icing to sit at room temperature and cool until it is firm enough to spread or pipe.
Cupcake Assembly
- Place an apple corer in the middle of each cupcake, press down about halfway into the cupcake, twist and remove the core of the cupcake.
- Fill the hollowed center of the cupcake halfway with caramel sauce (use a spoon or piping bag). Place chopped hazelnut praline in the hole to finish filling the center.
- Spread the fudge frosting over the cupcake or pipe onto the cupcake using a piping tip of your choice. Sprinkle each cupcake generously with the remainder of the chopped hazelnut praline.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!