Kinder Bueno Cupcakes

These Kinder Bueno Cupcakes are a hazelnut lover's dream! They are made with chocolate cupcakes, hazelnut filling, and then topped with a Nutella buttercream.

One of my favorite candy bars is a Kinder Bueno. It's a chocolate bar filled with a hazelnut cream and covered in milk chocolate. Whenever I wanted one, I would have to go to a Middle Eastern grocery store to get them because they weren't sold in regular supermarkets. Until recently, that is. Now, I can get them at my local grocery store and it makes me incredibly happy.

I made these hazelnut cupcakes and shared them with my co-workers and just about every single one of them had no idea what a Kinder Bueno chocolate bar was and I was flabbergasted! So I was very delighted to share with them one of my favorite childhood treats!

Ingredients in Kinder Bueno Cupcakes

• All-Purpose Flour: This recipe is best used with all-purpose flour for the best structure.
• Dutch Process Cocoa powder: I like using Dutch Process cocoa powder instead of natural because it gives a deeper and more intense chocolate flavor, but if all you have is natural, then you can use that.
• Baking powder & Baking Soda: Using leavening agents will help the cake rise and give a tender crumb and help with structure.
• Salt: The salt enhances the flavors and sweetness.
• Granulated Sugar: Adds the sweetness in the cake.
• Brown Sugar: I like adding a little brown sugar to help moisten the cake a little more.
• Espresso powder & Coffee: Both will intensify the chocolate flavor. If you're not a coffee drinker, no worries because you won't taste it. But if you have issues with coffee, leave out the espresso powder and sub the coffee with water.
• Sour cream: Sour cream in cakes makes it extra moist! You can use yogurt or even milk if you don't have sour cream.
• Vegetable oil: Oil instead of butter in chocolate cake is one of the key ingredients that creates a moist and tender cake. Use any neutral oil. I've even had good results using olive oil.
• Eggs: They help bind the cake and give it structure.
• Vanilla extract: Adds even more flavor!

Hazelnut Filling

• White chocolate chips: This filling uses white chocolate chips because when I tested it out, I felt like the white chocolate combined with the hazelnut spread mimicked the inside of a kinder bueno chocolate bar.
• Heavy whipping Cream: Used to thin out the white chocolate
• Hazelnut spread: I use a hazelnut spread that I picked up in Turkey but you can easily find some online. I haven't tried it with Nutella, but it would taste delicious!

Nutella Buttercream

• Unsalted butter: As with all buttercreams, we start by creaming butter. I like unsalted because I can control the amount of salt.
• Nutella spread: I use Nutella hazelnut spread for this buttercream, but you can use any brand.
• Powdered sugar: to sweeten and create fluffiness and structure.
• Heavy whipping cream: Used to thin out the buttercream if it becomes too thick to work with.
• Salt: adding salt enhances the flavors

How to Make Kinder Bueno Cupcakes

The Chocolate Cupcakes

• In a bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, espresso powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, whisk and set aside.
• In another bowl, add the sour cream, vegetable oil, 1 egg, and vanilla, and mix until completely combined. Add the dry ingredients and then mix with a whisk until combined. The mixture will be a little thick.
• Slowly add the hot coffee until completely mixed together and smooth.
• Pour the batter into prepared cupcake liners ⅔ of the way and bake for 17-19 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let cool before frosting.

The Hazelnut Filling

• In a heatproof bowl, add the white chocolate chips and heavy cream and microwave in 30 seconds increments, stirring between until completely smooth and melted.
• Add the hazelnut spread and mix, then set aside until ready to use.
• When ready to use, if the filling thickened too much, microwave for 15-20 seconds until it's a looser, pourable filling consistency.

The Nutella Buttercream

• Using a cupcake corer, remove the center of the cupcake.
• Fill with hazelnut filling using a small spoon or piping bag, then frost with nutella buttercream using desired tip. I used a Wilton 6B tip.
• Drizzle with nutella or melted chocolate and top with Kinder Bueno chocolate.

Tips to Make the Best Kinder Bueno Cupcakes

• Use a Kitchen Scale: The best way to get the best results in baking is to use a kitchen scale so that you're sure you're not over or under measuring your ingredients!
• Don't Over mix: Since this cupcakes recipe does not use a mixer, the chances of overmixing is slim, but once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, it is best to stop mixing.
• Don't overfill liners: When pouring the batter into the cupcake liners fill ⅔ of the way max, no more than that, otherwise your liners will overflow and you won't get the nicest domed tops. I overfilled mine a bit and they turn out delicious either way.
• Kinder Bueno Flavors: With this recipe, we're going for the flavors inside a kinder bueno, so I highly suggest purchasing a hazelnut spread.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I Make the Chocolate Cupcakes Ahead?

Yes, absolutely. You can make the cupcakes about a day ahead of time. More than that and you'll want to properly store them in the freezer to keep the freshness.

How Long Will the Assembled Kinder Bueno Cupcakes Last?

They will last about 3 days, beyond that they will lose their freshness. If you'd like to keep them longer, wrap them well and freeze.

Can I Make This Recipe Dairy Free?

It would be very hard to make this dairy free since Kinder Bueno is very much filled with dairy. But I do have a dairy free chocolate cake on my website that is delicious!

Other Recipes You Might Like:

• Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake
• Flourless Chocolate Cake
• No-Bake Chocolate Ganache Tart
• Mini No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake For Two

📖 Recipe