valentine's day. cupcakes. {vegetarian}

14 February 2012

Happy Valentine's Day, all. I hope you were able give a shout out to all the people you love in your life today.

We had a quiet night in with a lovely roasted chicken, Downton Abbey (obsession! ) Season II & these scrumptious little cupcakes. These are super rich & of course, tasty. These are basically the same chocolate cupcakes from Jediah's birthday, but with a different frosting. Nutella buttercream. Yum.

This is certainly not a healthy treat, but if you can't indulge on Valentine's Day, then--I just don't know!

chocolate cupcakes with nutella buttercream frosting.

makes a dozen

chocolate cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups spelt flour or all-purpose

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. maldon sea salt

--Mix ingredients into a medium bowl. Set aside.

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup organic brown sugar

1/2 cup organic sugar

1 egg

--Beat ingredients together until fluffy.

1 cup buttermilk (If you live in New England, Kate's makes a great one)

1 tsp vanilla

--Slowly add dry ingredients into the oil & sugar, alternating with the liquid ingredients until combined.

--Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 12 muffin tins. 

--Fill each tin almost to the top with batter & bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.

--Let cool on a baking rack.

nutella buttercream frosting:

1 stick butter, softened (Kate's too!)

1/4 cup Nutella or hazelnut spread of choice

1-2 cups confectioner's sugar

3-4 TBL heavy cream

cocoa powder for dusting

--Beat butter & nutella until fluffy. Add sugar a little at a time, alternating with the cream until you get desired consistency. 

--This will a rich, thicker frosting.

--Spread on cooled cupcakes.

--Dust with cocoa powder. 

Love, love, love my Zissou earings...they take me back. thank you, valentine.

happy eatings & cheers!