Mini chocolate cupcakes with Nutella frosting

It's hard to believe that my last class of my doctorate is this week!  It didn't seem like it at the time, but it really flew by!  After that, all that will separate me from graduation is a portfolio, a published article, and a residency.

Despite the work I that I have left for this week, I figured I should bake something to celebrate this momentous occasion with my classmates.  After this Wednesday, the next time that I see some of them will be at graduation in May 2013!

I have been wanting to make this recipe frosting for so long.  I have a homemade chocolate cake/cupcake recipe that I use all the time, but when I was looking for this frosting recipe again (on my "Things I want to bake" board on Pinterest), something caught my eye.  One-bowl.  Yes, this recipe is a one bowl cupcake recipe.  The recipe said it made 12 standard sized cupcakes.  I got 24 mini ones (I made them in small paper cups, which are bigger than mini cupcake liners, so if you used those you'd probably get more than 24).  Also, I made a little switch - I thought that I had bittersweet chocolate in the kitchen but in actuality it was semisweet chocolate....good thing they're interchangable!

One-bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Cloud Frosting

Cupcake Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark....I wonder if Dutch Press would've worked, too)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup brewed coffee or espresso, hot (Starbucks Via works perfectly - and quickly!)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sift all dry ingredients.
Add all remaining ingredients to bowl with the dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed and pour into prepared cupcake pan until 2/3 full (or just less).  The batter is liquidy, and it will rise
Bake for 15-17 minutes (my minis took about 12 minutes), or until toothpick or skewer comes out with a few crumbs. Try not to overbake.
Carefully remove cupcakes from the pan immediately (they're hot!), and place them on a wire rack until completely cool

Nutella Cloud Frosting Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened, but cool
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (4 ounces) premium bittersweet chocolate chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
1/3 cup Nutella
1 tablespoon milk
pinch of salt

Directions:

In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the confectioners' sugar and butter and beat on low speed for about 1 minute.
Add vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. Add the chocolate and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add the Nutella, milk, and salt, and beat on med-high speed for another minute.
Frost cupcakes immediately.

*Can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.  That weirded me out a little, so I put them in the fridge.  If the icing doesn't do well in the fridge, I'll let you know*