Nutella Cupcakes

I was itching for a new recipe, but being Sunday I needed to use what I had on hand. Somehow I had Nutella. Have you had Nutella? It's amazing. It's rapidly becoming one of my favorite spreads. I love the nutty, chocolaty, smooth taste. There's really nothing like it. It was the perfect ingredient for cupcakes:) I decided to go with a basic chocolate cupcake recipe, fill it with Nutella and then top it off with a Nutella cream cheese frosting. This might be my new favorite cupcake recipe! I got SO many compliments on these and I can't deny it...I couldn't keep my hands off them, especially when I did half the batter as mini cupcakes - perfect one bite treat:) If you love Nutella, you must try these!

For the Cake:
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix
1 small box white chocolate pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 small jar Nutella

For the Frosting:
2 packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
1/4 cup Nutella

Start by making the cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cupcake pan by lining it with cupcake liners. Mix the cake mix, pudding, eggs, sour cream, milk and oil in a standing mixer and beat until well incorporated (about 2 minutes) while scraping the sides. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Place 1 teaspoon Nutella on top of each cupcake batter. Place in preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until tops spring back when touched. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.

For the frosting cream cream cheese and butter until really smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Add vanilla and Nutella and beat until very creamy. Add powdered sugar - enough to get your desired spreading consistency. Personally I like it a little thin and creamy instead of stiff like icing. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes. Enjoy!!