Vanilla Bean Hazelnut Cupcakes
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
- Total: 1 hr 25 min (plus cooling time)
- Active: 1 hr 10 min
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour mix
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon vinegar
One 16-ounce container chocolate hazelnut spread, such as Justin's Nut Butter Chocolate Hazelnut Butter
Candied Hazelnuts, recipe follows
Vanilla Bean Frosting, recipe follows
Hazelnut Frosting, recipe follows
Candied Hazelnuts :
1 cup hazelnuts, crushed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Vanilla Bean Frosting:
8 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces nondairy margarine
1/2 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Hazelnut Frosting:
8 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces nondairy margarine
1/2 cup soy milk
1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread, such as Justin's Nut Butter Chocolate Hazelnut Butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a standard cupcake or muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In medium bowl, whisk together with an electric mixer or hand whisk the flour mix, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum until well integrated. Add in the soy milk, oil, vanilla and vinegar, and mix until smooth.
- Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters-full with batter. Fill a pastry bag with the chocolate hazelnut spread and cup 1/4-inch off the tip. Fill each cupcake with 1 tablespoon chocolate hazelnut spread. Sprinkle the tops of each cupcake with 1 tablespoon Candied Hazelnuts and bake until baked through, 13 to 15 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
- To assemble: Generously frost each cupcake with the marbled Vanilla Bean and Hazelnut Frostings. Top with a sprinkle of the remaining candied hazelnuts.
Candied Hazelnuts :
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the hazelnuts, granulated sugar, maple syrup and salt until the hazelnuts are evenly coated. Spread evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
Vanilla Bean Frosting:
- Mix the powdered sugar, nondairy margarine, soy milk, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds and salt with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Fill half the side of a pastry bag with the frosting and set aside.
Hazelnut Frosting:
- Mix the powdered sugar, nondairy margarine, soy milk, chocolate hazelnut spread and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Use the same pasty bag with the vanilla bean frosting and add the hazelnut frosting to the other half of the bag for a marble effect. Cut 1/2-inch off the tip.