Peanut Butter Surprise Cupcakes w/Nutella Buttercream

I have a problem. I appear to be addicted to Nutella buttercream. This is not a healthy way to live. Someone really needs to come over and cut off my supply. Pronto! Consider this my Nutella Addicts Anonymous (NAA, not to be confused with NA) confession. My cry for help, if you will. If you see me post another Nutella-frosted cupcake on here in the next month you have my permission to turn me in to the appropriate authorities.

Fortunately, most of these are going home with my mom so she can pass them along to some cupcake-deprived relatives who only get to see pictures of my delectable baked goods, never get to taste them. I wanted to whip up something easy but also something I knew would be delicious, so I did a repeat of the peanut butter cupcakes from my white chocolate vs. dark chocolate throwdown. I was hooked on the idea of pairing this with the aforementioned Nutella frosting and decided to perk things up a bit with a surprise honey nut filling. Although now that I think about it a Nutella nut filling would have been equally delicious. Next time I might try substituting Nutella for the honey and see how that turns out. Because despite what I said at the top of this post there will almost certainly be a next time!

Definitely a winner but very rich. Be sure to pair these with a tall glass of milk and you're all set to feed your unhealthy Nutella addiction.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes
Adapted from I Heart Cuppycakes
Makes 12 cupcakes

1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, room temp
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Line 12 muffin wells with paper cupcake liners.

2) Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

3) In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, peanut butter and brown sugar until smoothly blended and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Mix in egg. Add vanilla and beat for 1 minute or until batter is smooth.

4) On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing until the flour is incorporated and the batter looks smooth.

5) Fill each liner with a generous 1/4 cup of batter, to about 1/3 inch below the top of the liner. Bake just until the tops feel firm and are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 22 minutes. There will be cracks on the top. Cool cupcakes for 10 minutes in the pan on wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Honey Nut Filling
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts
1/4 cup chopped almonds (blanched or without skins)
2 1/2 heaping tablespoons of honey

1) Combine peanuts and almonds and mix well. Add honey and stir to completely coat the nut mixture.

2) Once cupcakes are cool, use the cone method and fill each cupcake with a generous spoonful of the honey nut mixture. Replace top of cake.

Nutella Buttercream
Recipe adapted from French for Cupcake

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup nutella
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons (or more) of milk or cream

1) Cream together the butter and Nutella until blended.

2) Add the powdered sugar gradually until ingredients are combined.

3) Mix on high speed, adding cream until frosting is smooth and creamy.