Chocolate Nutella Mousse - Birthday Cupcakes From Scratch

My very own recipe, improvised and invented for my honey's birthday party 2011!

Chocolate Nutella Mousse Cupcakes

Makes twenty-four cupcakes. Fill paper liners no less than 2/3 and no more than 3/4 full.

1 cup (100g) flour
1 cup (150g) sugar
1 tsp (càc) baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
3 eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) water
1/4 cup (60 ml) oil
1 tsp (càc) vanilla
1/2 tsp (càc) salt
1 chocolate pudding mix*
1 tbsp (càs) cocoa powder
2 tbsp (càs) rum

Beat all ingredients together.
Bake at 400°F (200°C) until peaks are moist, not gooey, but not so long that the peaks dry.


Nutella Mousse

2 sticks (250g) unsalted butter, softened
1 13-ounce jar (400g) Nutella
pinch sea salt
1 tbsp (càs) vanilla
2 pounds (350g) powdered sugar
8 tbsp (càs) heavy cream

Mix slowly the first five ingredients. Add the heavy cream until blended. Whip on medium-high setting until fluffy. Pipe onto cupcakes with a decorator's pouch.

*I use Rawleigh Chocolate Pudding... my Gramie's tried and true favorite. It truly has the best old fashioned flavor. In this recipe I added 3 tbsp of their pudding powder to the rest of the ingredients as listed. Their traditional recipe is naturally low fat and you add the sugar, so it's great for diabetics! You can buy a tub of pudding mix online and www.rawleigh-products.com

*FROM SCRATCH VERSION - Substitute milk where it calls for water. When it's time to add the pudding add 6 ounces (170 g) of 62% semisweet chocolate melted, 1/4 cup cornstarch (maïzena), plus 1/8 tsp salt.

Fun Manly Birthday Variations :

german chocolate with coconut-pecan topping

rocky-road with marshmallows, chocolate chips and walnuts