Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes with Hazelnut Truffle Filling and Swirled Vanilla and Nutella Buttercream Icing

Because sometimes you just need to indulge a little. 

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

2c. flour

2/3c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2c. sugar

1 1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella)

2 eggs

1t. salt

1 t. vanilla

1 1/4t. baking soda

1/4 t. baking powder

1c. hot water

24ct. Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles (Lindt) 

Nutella Buttercream Icing

1/4c. butter

1/4c. vegetable shortening

1 c. Nutella

4c. powdered sugar

1/4c, milk

Vanilla Buttercream Icing

3/4c. butter

3/4c. vegetable shortening

4c. powder sugar

1 t. double strength vanilla extract

1/4c. milk

Directions:

for the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Place liners in two 12 cup muffin pans. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder; set aside. In a small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved; set aside. In a large bowl, beat shortening and nutella with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about 1/3 of mixture at a time, and cocoa mixture about 1/2 at time, beating just until blended. Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly. Remove from oven. Carefully, make a deep criss-cross cut in the shape of an "X" on the top of each cupcake. Place one truffle in the space that was cut, pushing the truffle down into the cake until fully submerged. Let cupcakes continue to cool in baking pan for 20 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire racks.
*cupcake recipe adapted from Betty Crocker's chocolate cupcakes*

for the nutella buttercream icing

Cream butter, shortening, and nutella together in a mixing bowl with electric mixer. Add in powdered sugar. Gradually mix in milk until light and fluffy.

for the vanilla buttercream icing

Cream together butter and shortening in a mixing bowl until fully combined. Add vanilla and powdered sugar, mix well. Pour in milk gradually, mix until light and fluffy.

To frost cupcakes:

Put nutella icing and vanilla icing in separate piping bags. Snip the ends of both bags. In a larger piping bag, fit a coupler and tip, then place nutella icing and vanilla icing inside large piping bag. Twist top of bag and gently apply pressure, frosting should come out in swirled pattern. Frost and garnish cupcakes as desired. Enjoy!