Name: Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella, Almond Butter, and Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 36
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2/3 cup Nutella; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups cake flour; 1 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 3/4 tsp salt; 3 large eggs; 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 3/4 cup butter, softened; 2 1/2 cups buttermilk; 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature; 5 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature; 1 pound powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted; 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract*; 6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature; 2 tablespoons butter; 1/2 cup Nutella; 1 pound powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted; 1 teaspoons vanilla extract; black and brown food coloring, optional; 6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature; 2 tablespoons butter; 1/2 cup Almond Butter or Peanut Butter; 1 pound powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted; 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes made with three flavors of cream cheese frosting! Don’t worry, it’s an easy recipe with just a few extra steps required!

A photo collage showing a chocolate Nutella cupcake topped with Nutella frosting on a white plate. More cupcakes rest in the background.

Creating This Nutella Cupcake Recipe

Remember those Cupcakes with Nutella, Almond Butter, and Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting I teased you with in this week’s kitchen tip (related Kitchen Tip: Two Tone Frosting for Cupcakes)? Here they are!

I’m so sorry you had to wait, but you needed to know about piping with multiple frosting flavors onto cupcakes before you could make this recipe. And all good things are worth the wait. The recipe wouldn’t be the same without all three cream cheese flavors swirled together on top.

I have been thinking about this flavor combination ever since making sandwiches for the kids when I decided to double dip my knife because I was in a hurry. Then afterward I remember looking at the almond butter and Nutella together on the knife and thinking how good those two must taste together.

So I did what any self respecting person would do. I licked it right off the butter knife. BOY was it good!

After that lick I knew that I had to come up with a recipe to feature these two delicious nut butters together. So I thought, and thought, and then one day while contemplating Logan’s Birthday Cupcakes it came to me. And I realized that if I could so easily swirl two different colors of frosting together, why the heck not two (or more) flavors of frosting?

Originally I had planned to make batches of Nutella and almond butter buttercream frosting, but I decided that it would look more interesting with white swirled in with the two shades of brown. Not to mention that I had this gigantic Costco sized thing of cream cheese sitting in the fridge that I thought I better use.

I can’t even begin to describe how amazing these Nutella cupcakes tasted. If it sounds overwhelming, please know that it’s really not very hard at all once you get the different frosting flavors made.

The actual piping is actually quite simple using the tutorial I wrote on piping multicolored (or flavored) frosting, just head over to that Kitchen Tip for the instructions.

Ingredients for Nutella Cupcakes

As I mentioned above, I topped the Nutella cupcakes with three types of cream cheese frosting. A Nutella cream cheese frosting (duh!), an almond butter cream cheese frosting, and a classic cream cheese frosting.

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make the Nutella cupcake recipe, plus all the frostings:

Nutella
All-purpose flour and cake flour
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Baking soda and baking powder
Salt
Eggs
Granulated sugar
Butter
Buttermilk
Cream cheese (lots of it!)
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract
Almond butter (or peanut butter)

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

nutella cupcake with nutella cream cheese frosting

How to Make Nutella Cupcakes

This Nutella dessert recipe does have extra steps to it, but I promise it’s easy to make!

For the cupcakes: Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until is pale and thick. Add in the butter, followed by the Nutella and buttermilk. Beat until well incorporated.
Add the flour mixture in three increments and beat until smooth.
Divide batter amongst 36 cupcake tins. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the frostings: They all come together in the same way. The cream cheese and butter is beaten until smooth, then the remaining ingredients are added and mixed until fluffy.
To pipe on the frosting: Please reference this blog post for detailed instructions on how to pipe three types of frosting onto cupcakes.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Ingredient Substitutions to Try

Don’t have cake flour? Make your own instead!
Don’t have buttermilk? You can make a quick DIY substitute in a pinch.
Don’t have clear vanilla extract? It’s used to maintain a purer white frosting color. If this doesn’t matter to you, then you may use regular vanilla extract.

Typically I don’t recommend making a bunch of substitutions when preparing a new recipe. When making substitutes, you won’t know if you don’t like the recipe or if the recipe didn’t turn out due to a preparation mistake, an ill effect from the substitute, or something else.

However, if you do choose to make substitutions in a recipe, I recommend only making one substitute at a time so you don’t have a building effect of multiple poor substitutions.

A Nutella cupcake topped with swirled Nutella cream cheese frosting

How to Store Nutella Cupcakes

Once frosted, the chocolate Nutella cupcakes must be stored in the fridge in an airtight container because the frosting contains dairy. Keep them in an airtight container, they should last about four days.

Can I Freeze These Cupcakes?

Yes! You can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to three months. The individual cream cheese frostings can also be frozen for up to three months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge.

What Readers Are Saying

“These were amazingly delicious!! I brought them to work for a coworkers birthday 2 yrs ago and now she asks for them every year! Thanks for sharing this recipe!” — Mary

“I made these with double frosting, Nutella and Vanilla. YUMMM!!!!! They were gobbled up! I think I will be bold enough to try triple frosting next time!!!” — Debra

“Made these cupcakes to bring into work yesterday, people still raving about them today.Some thought I bought them from a bakery.” — Cindy

“I made these tonight for a friend’s birthday. I’ve never swirled frosting before but your tips were super helpful and I am so excited take these to the party! ” — Wendy

More Unique Cupcake Recipes:

Decadent Dark Chocolate Cupcakes are piped with a salted caramel buttercream and drizzled in homemade bourbon caramel sauce for a delicious sweet and salty dessert.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream and Fresh Raspberry Sauce are the perfect combo of a fluffy, light vanilla cupcake, rich chocolate buttercream, and a tangy, sweet fresh raspberry sauce.

Feed both cake and cookie cravings with these amazing Oatmeal Cookie Cupcakes. Top with brown sugar frosting for a real treat!

These Pumpkin Cupcakes were already incredibly moist and the perfect balance of sweet, pumpkin, and fall spices. The Caramel Pecan Glaze just took them over the top.

These Coconut Lime Cupcakes are topped with an incredible Coconut Lime Cream Cheese Frosting. Amazing!

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Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella, Almond Butter, and Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 36 cupcakes

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Chocolate Nutella cupcakes made with three flavors of cream cheese frosting! Don't worry, it's an easy recipe with just a few extra steps required!

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

2/3 cup Nutella
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
5 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 pound powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract*

Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Nutella
1 pound powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
black and brown food coloring, optional

Almond Butter/Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Almond Butter or Peanut Butter
1 pound powdered sugar (about 3 3/4 cups), sifted
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Cupcakes

Line 3 dozen muffin cups with cupcake liners or grease using non-stick spray. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes, until it is pale and thick. Add in the butter. Mix until combined.
Add in the nutella. Now, add in the buttermilk. Beat until well incorporated.
Add the flour mixture in 3 increments and beat until smooth.
Divide batter into the cupcake tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over-bake.
Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream the butter and cream cheese in the large mixing bowl of a stand mixture. Add the vanilla.
Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar as you continue to cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Beat on high speed until fluffy and smooth, adding milk or additional sugar (if needed) to reach desired consistency.

Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream the butter and cream cheese in the large mixing bowl of a stand mixture.
Add the nutella and vanilla and continue to cream.
Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar as you continue to cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Beat on high speed until fluffy and smooth, adding milk or additional sugar (if needed) to reach desired consistency.
For a darker brown add 1 drop brown and 1 drop black food coloring.

Almond Butter or Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream the butter and cream cheese in the large mixing bowl of a stand mixture.
Add the almond butter or peanut butter and vanilla and continue to cream.
Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar as you continue to cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Beat on high speed until fluffy and smooth, adding milk or additional sugar (if needed) to reach desired consistency.

To Decorate

Please see Kitchen Tip: Two Tone Frosting for Cupcakes for detailed instructions on how to pipe three different frosting flavors simultaneously.

Notes

cupcakes adapted from Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes
frosting adapted from My Baking Addiction

*clear vanilla extract is used to maintain a purer white color. If this doesn't matter to you, then you may use regular vanilla extract.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 421Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 281mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 2gSugar: 51gProtein: 5g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.