Hummingbird Bakery Hazelnut and Chocolate Cupcakes

So I'm supposed to be making the figures for my thesis this weekend but poor Toshi chucked a spazz and crashed Photoshop :( I decided to give the machine a break, and since I ruv Pooey, I decided to do what she wanted and make more Hummingbird products for her to eat. Even though she lives on the other side of the planet. Kekeke.

I decided to make the hazelnut cupcakes because none of the shops in my local shopping centre sold stem ginger in syrup.

So this is what the cake looks like in the book.

I also figured this would be a test run because I have my doubts about their methods. Namely, am I not supposed to cream butter and sugar together as the base for cakes? I decided to follow their directions as closely as possible. What I've put here is the one printed in the book with my changes in purple, just in case anyone wants to try it themselves.

Cupcake - makes 12
100g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
140g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter at room temp (I lazily combined the butter/salt thing by using low-salt butter)
120ml (1/2 cup is close enough) whole milk
1 egg
Nutella
hazelnuts (to decorate)

• Pre-heat the oven to 170C/325F
• Put the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. (I did this even though the baker in me was revolting at it. I did however start the mixing by hand with a wooden spoon to break up the butter into smaller chunks before using the mixer.)
• Slowly pour the milk into the mixture, beating until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add the egg and beat well, scraping any unmixed ingredients from the side with a spatula
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes. Cakes are ready when a skewer comes out clean. Cool slightly in tray, before turning out onto a wire rack.

Cooling on the rack

• When the cupcakes are cold, hollow out a small section in the centre of each and fill each one with a dollop of nutella. I used about 1/2 tsp of Nutella depending on how large I made the holes. It varied :P

Holey cupcakes
Filled cupcakes

Frosting mixture
250g icing sugar, sifted
80g unsalted butter at room temp (again, I cheated with the low salt)
25ml whole milk
80g (2 tbs) Nutella

• Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium/slow until everything is well mixed (Again, I started by hand with a wooden spoon to breat the butter and mix it in before using the mixer.)
• Turn to mixer to slower speed and slowly pour int he milk. Whenthe milk is completely incorporated, turn to higher speed and beat until frosting is light and fluffy (approx 5 mins).
  
• Stir in the nutella by hand until evenly mixed into the frosting. Spoon on top and finish with hazelnuts to garnish.
  

The finished products.

Firstly, I don't think this mixture makes 12 cupcakes. Unless I overfilled my first batch of 6 (entirely possible but you can judge for yourself from the ones in the pics), I think it makes closer to 10 because the second batch of 6 weren't that full. Anyway, to try and emulate the pic in the book, I cut one open and shared it with Spuey.
I think Spuey liked it and he said even though it didn't dribble out like the one in the picture, he could sure taste the Nutella in the cupcake. I therefore think this recipe passed, and I may make it again when Pooey gets back or if anyone requests*!

*Donations would aid the fulfilling of any requests :P