World Nutella Day: A Celebration of Chocolate, Warmth, Spice & Friendship

In honor of the 5th Anniversary of World Nutella Day, as declared by Michele Fabio of Bleeding Espresso and Sarah Rosso of Ms. Adventures in Italy, I hereby offer my sweet, spicy, warm and sinful
Montezuma-inspired Nutella Gooey Cupcakes.

Now I explain in excruciating detail.

The story:

Montezuma is a drink made with chocolate fondente, rum, peperoncino, and cannella (cinnamon) that warmed many a cold evening with friends last winter at a little place in Florence, Italy called Hemingway.

Behold ... the Montezuma.

My girlfriend came to Florence also last winter while I was in the midst of a torrid affair with Nutella normally a 3-way involving an unsuspecting spoon - somewhere around jar #5 (of the 11 I decimated during my first 10 months there).  We both shared a love for Nutella and after I introduced her to another crack habit the Montezuma it was all over.  I get occasional e-mails on the Montezuma craving, but alas, it's an itch that's hard to really scratch.

Well, thanks to the creamy goodness that is Nutella I found a vehicle with which to bring together these flavors, textures, and taste sensations we crave during these cold winter months.  Not to mention, Nutella doesn't appreciate the cold here in Colorado, so one of these stunts or a "take your Nutella jar skiing" day was out of the question.

My wicked chocolate cupcakes (normally made with dark chocolate stout beer) have been adapted with a gooey Nutella filling and a little rum. There is a slight detectable heat from peperoncino, spice from the cinnamon, and a delicate warmth from the rum in the cake and the icing.

Itch = scratched. 

Another legendary slumber party...

After 40 years of friendship, crayons, dolls, boys (and their "cooties"), Girl Scout badges, episodes of Brady Bunch & Partridge Family, slumber parties, school bus gossip, High School football games, pizza, college, husbands, kids, and careers the least I could do for my friend, a fellow Nutella junkie who flew all the way to Italy last winter for  the mother of all slumber parties that involved a couple bottles of wine a 25-year reunion, was make a freaking cupcake to quell her Montezuma craving!

Let's do this thing.





 Here comes the recipe:

Batter:
1st the "dry stuff"
1 3/4  cups flour
2 cups of sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli dark, unsweetened)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp cinnamon

Now the "wet stuff"
2 eggs
1 cup milk (I used vanilla soy)
½ cup vegetable oil (I used Smart Balance Omega)
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp Captain Morgan Spiced Rum

1 cup boiling water (add last)

Combine all the "dry stuff" in a large mixer bowl. Add the "wet stuff" in order listed and beat on medium for 2-3 minutes. Add the boiling water last for a thin batter.

(*High altitude note:  recipe I tested at 6000 feet increases flour by ¼ cup, decreases leavening by ¼ tsp, decreases sugar by ¼ cup, & uses extra large eggs)


For the Montezuma Nutella filling mix together:
2/3 cup Nutella
½ teaspoon peperoncino (crushed red pepper)
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Pour the batter into a cupcake liners (I like the double lined ones with paper inside and foil outside).

For each cupcake, drop a scant teaspoon of the Nutella filling into the center.



Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. You’ll see the Nutella centers disappear into the cakes and the tops will spring back when touched.

Now the icing:

½ cup unsalted butter, melted
3 ¼ cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup of cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of rum
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/3 cup milk
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the cocoa into the melted butter, add ¼ cup of the powdered sugar, the rum, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Alternate the milk and the rest of the powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency. 

I cannot confirm or deny whether frosting was sucked out of any pastry bags during the making of these cupcakes.

These are best served warm while the Nutella is gooey - and with friends.  Happy World Nutella day!

Wishing you all peace, love, and the warmth of friendship!