These rich, moist chocolate cupcakes are filled with Ferrero Rocher chocolates, topped with a silky Nutella buttercream, sprinkled with chopped hazelnuts, and finished with more Ferrero Rocher on top. The cupcakes boast deep chocolate flavor while remaining light and fluffy. Because the chocolate is placed in the batter before baking, stuffing is simple and mess-free.
For a different take using a similar chocolate base, try black forest cupcakes filled with cherries and topped with whipped cream.
🍫 Why you’ll LOVE this recipe
- Ferrero Rocher surprise: Each cupcake hides a chocolate center for a delicious surprise.
- Nutella buttercream: A silky Nutella frosting complements the Ferrero Rocher filling perfectly; the candies and Nutella share similar hazelnut–chocolate flavors.
- Easy chocolate cupcakes: The batter is simple to mix by hand—no electric mixer required—and yields moist, flavorful, fluffy cupcakes.
This is an ideal treat for holidays or any occasion when you want a classic chocolate-and-hazelnut pairing.
📝 Key ingredients
The finished cupcake has three components: the Ferrero Rocher–stuffed chocolate cupcake, a thin Nutella and hazelnut coating, and a creamy Nutella buttercream.
You’ll need about 16 chocolates to stuff the cupcakes and an additional 8–16 chocolates to top them, depending on whether you use whole or halved Ferrero Rocher. You can omit the chocolate on top if you prefer.
Read through for tips to ensure success.
Full steps and ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.
Chocolate cupcake ingredients
- Vegetable oil: Use a neutral oil for tender crumb. Avoid solidifying oils like coconut oil, which can make cupcakes dry.
- Cocoa powder: Use natural cocoa (not Dutch-processed) for best flavor. Bloom it in hot water or coffee to intensify the chocolate.
- Buttermilk: Store-bought buttermilk gives the best texture. Substitute kefir or make a quick buttermilk with milk and vinegar if needed.
- All-purpose flour: Weigh for accuracy. If measuring by volume, spoon and level the flour without packing.
- Ferrero Rocher: These wafer-hazelnut chocolates work perfectly, but any similar hazelnut-filled candy will do.
- Hot water or coffee: Dissolve cocoa in hot liquid; coffee will further enhance chocolate depth without adding a coffee taste.
Nutella frosting ingredients
- Hazelnuts: Toast raw hazelnuts to bring out their flavor, then rub off skins with a kitchen towel.
- Nutella: Nutella or a similar chocolate–hazelnut spread provides the best texture and flavor for the buttercream.
- Butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, heavy cream: These build a stable, not-too-sweet buttercream that pipes well.
👩🍳 How to make Ferrero Rocher cupcakes
Chocolate stuffed cupcakes instructions
This recipe yields 16 cupcakes because the candies displace batter. If you have only one tin, bake the remaining cupcakes from reserved batter after the first batch.
Tip: Blooming cocoa in boiling liquid deepens the chocolate flavor significantly.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C) and line a muffin tin. Whisk cocoa powder with hot water (or coffee) until smooth and set aside to cool.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the egg with brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla until the mixture lightens slightly.
Step 3: Add oil and buttermilk and whisk until combined.
Step 4: Sift in flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Fold with a whisk just until combined—do not overmix.
Step 5: Fold the cooled cocoa mixture into the batter until evenly combined.
Step 6: Spoon batter into liners halfway. Press an unwrapped Ferrero Rocher into the center of each and cover with about a tablespoon of batter.
Step 7: Bake 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake (not through the candy) comes out clean. Cool briefly in the tin, then transfer to a rack.
Tip: Reserve any leftover batter to bake additional cupcakes after the first batch.
Frosting & assembly instructions
Step 1: Beat softened butter until very light and fluffy (3–5 minutes) to remove the strong buttery taste and build structure for the frosting.
Step 2: Add powdered sugar (start with 1 cup) and beat until light and fluffy again.
Step 3: Add sea salt, vanilla, Nutella, and sifted cocoa powder. Beat until fluffy and taste for sweetness; add more powdered sugar if needed.
Step 4: Gradually add heavy cream until the frosting loosens to a silky consistency. Don’t over-beat after adding cream to avoid a grainy texture.
Step 5: Spread each cooled cupcake with about 1/2 tablespoon Nutella, then gently press the Nutella-coated tops into chopped toasted hazelnuts to lightly coat the edges.
Step 6: Pipe a tall swirl of Nutella buttercream, sprinkle with extra chopped hazelnuts, and top with a half or whole Ferrero Rocher.
Tip: Cupcakes taste best at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
🧁 Make ahead and storage
You can bake the cupcakes a day in advance and store them covered at room temperature, or bake and frost them and keep in an airtight container in the fridge. Allow refrigerated cupcakes to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving so the buttercream softens.
✔️ How to get a creamy, not too sweet buttercream
This Nutella buttercream stays stable and balanced by adding cocoa powder, which helps with structure and reduces cloying sweetness. Beat the butter very well before and after adding sugar to achieve a silky, light texture and to reduce an overly buttery taste. Start with a cup of powdered sugar, then adjust after tasting, since Nutella adds sweetness. Finish by loosening the frosting with heavy cream for a fluffy but pipeable consistency; beat only briefly after adding the cream.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Measure flour accurately—preferably by weight. If using cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it without packing. Do not overmix after adding flour; fold only until dry streaks disappear to avoid developing excess gluten.
Hot coffee amplifies chocolate flavor without leaving a coffee taste. Use hot brewed coffee or dissolve a small amount of instant coffee in the hot water. If you prefer not to use coffee, hot water works fine.
Heavy cream loosens frosting to create a light, fluffy texture that still pipes well. Milk can thin frosting too much; cream yields better stability and mouthfeel.
🍫 Related chocolate and hazelnut recipes
-
Nutella Cheesecake
-
Nutella Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream
-
The Best Black Velvet Cake
-
Chocolate Praline Cake
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📖 Recipe
Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes
Equipment
- Regular sized cupcake tin
- Cupcake liners
- Electric mixer (optional)
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ½ cup hot water or hot coffee
- 6 tbsp natural cocoa powder (43 g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour (150 g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 16 Ferrero Rocher chocolates (or similar)
Nutella Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1–2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup Nutella, room temperature
- 5 tbsp natural cocoa powder, sifted
- 3–5 tbsp heavy cream
Assembly
- ¾ cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
- 8 tbsp Nutella (½ cup) for coating
- 8–16 Ferrero Rocher for topping
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with liners.
- Bloom cocoa: whisk cocoa powder with hot water or coffee and set aside to cool.
- Whisk egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla until slightly lighter in color.
- Add buttermilk and oil and whisk to combine.
- Sift in flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Fold until just combined; do not overmix.
- Fold in the cooled cocoa mixture until even.
- Fill liners halfway, press an unwrapped Ferrero Rocher into each, and cover with about a tablespoon of batter. Bake 16–18 minutes. Cool before removing from the tin.
Nutella Frosting
- Beat softened butter until light and fluffy (3–5 minutes).
- Add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until fluffy; add more sugar if needed.
- Add sea salt, vanilla, Nutella, and sifted cocoa. Beat until combined and fluffy.
- Gradually add heavy cream until the frosting reaches a silky, pipeable consistency. Avoid over-beating after adding cream.
Assembly
- Spread cooled cupcakes with ½ tablespoon Nutella, then press the coated tops into chopped hazelnuts.
- Pipe Nutella buttercream on each cupcake, sprinkle with extra hazelnuts, and top with half or whole Ferrero Rocher.
Notes
Best served at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days and bring to room temperature before serving.
Coffee: Using hot brewed coffee amplifies the chocolate flavor. You can also dissolve ½ tsp instant coffee in the hot water. If you prefer no coffee, use hot water.
Buttermilk: Store-bought buttermilk is preferred. Substitute kefir or make a quick buttermilk by combining ½ cup milk with ½ tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
Make ahead: Bake the cupcakes a day ahead and frost the next day, or bake and decorate and store in the fridge—allow at least 1 hour at room temperature before serving.
How to toast and skin hazelnuts: Roast hazelnuts at 355°F (180°C) for 7–10 minutes until skins separate. Cool, wrap in a towel, and rub to remove skins.
Nutrition
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