These cupcakes are the ultimate indulgence but the nuts in the batter stop the cakes from being too sugary whilst adding texture. Light as a feather, and with the cream cheese topping synonymous with American cupcakes such as those at Magnolia Bakery in New York, this is definitely my favourite cupcake flavour!
Hazelnut Cupcake Recipe, Ottolenghi 'The Cookbook'
- Preheat the oven to 150˚C. Place 45g Unblanched Hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for 15 minutes, until lightly coloured. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cold, rub them in a tea towel and shake to get rid of most of the skins. Blitz in a food processor with 75g Caster Sugar until finely chopped.
- Increase the oven temperature to 170˚C. Line a muffin tray with 8-12 paper cases (muffin sized). Sift together 180g Plain Flour, 1¼ tsp Baking Powder, and 1/3 tsp Salt. Cream together 150g Unsalted Butter, 75g Caster Sugar, 1 tbsp Hazelnut Oil (or any other nut oil) and the chopped hazelnuts until light and fluffy.
- Beat 2 small Free-range Eggs together and then mix into the wet batter slowly. Next fold in half the dry ingredients and half a 150ml pot Soured Cream. Once incorporated do the same with the other half of the dry ingredients and Soured Cream.
- Spoon into the cases, filling them to with 5mm of the rim and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool.
- To make the icing: Beat 150g Cream Cheese with 150g Mascarpone until light. In a separate bowl, beat 80g Soft Unsalted Butter with 100g Icing Sugar with an electric mix for 5 minutes. Fold in the cheese mixture and then ice each cake using a spatula to create swirls.
