TWD: Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes

This week, Clara of I Heart Food4Thought chose Chocolate-Chocolate Cupcakes for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe. (Click on her blog link for the original recipe.) I was glad to see a cupcake recipe as I was in need of something fairly easy. Of course, I found some way to make these a little more complicated than needed though. Why do I do that to myself?! LOL! I made the basic batter and then baked these babies up. Once they cooled though, I took Dorie's recommendation and tried to fill the cupcakes with some yummy Nutella! I've never had Nutella before, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but as soon as I opened the lid, I knew just how yummy it would be. It smelled exactly like Ferrero Rochers -- one of my favorite candies! Anyhow, Dorie suggests using a pastry bag with tip and then plunging the tip into the cupcake and filling with Nutella (or marshmallow fluff, jam, etc.). I don't have either of those tools though, so I tried a different method. I cut a cone out from the top of the cupcake and scooped out a little of the inside with a knife. I spooned in some Nutella, then placed the top back on. It seemed to work pretty well! The only problem was that when I went to dip the cupcakes into the glaze topping, the cone fell out. DOH! I decided to just placed the glaze on with a knife instead of dipping. No biggie!

Even with the little additional step, these cupcakes were still pretty easy to make. The shape of the cupcake didn't come out so great though, with the top being uneven on some sides. Oh well... I guess that makes them look more "homemade", right?! While ugly, the taste of the cupcake came out pretty good. The texture was light and fluffy. I wouldn't say it was moist, but it wasn't dry either, so that was good. The glaze topping was different than what I've ever had on a cupcake. Since I'm used to a fluffy frosting, the firmer texture took some getting used too, but the taste was phenomenal. Bittersweet chocolate is my fave, so I loved it. I think I may even like this glaze better than frosting! And the Nutella filling? HELLO! Yum! Between the fluffy chocolate cake, the solid chocolate glaze, and the very rich Nutella, these are some seriously decadent cupcakes! I would love to make these again! When I do though, I hope to have a pastry bag and tip to make the filling a little easier. Hmmm, what to try next?

Oh, and I guess that I should mention that these cupcakes were supposed to be decorated for Halloween. I got pretty lazy though once I had finished the glaze, I decided they were D.O.N.E! :-) Besides, I have to make something for DH's potluck and work later this week so I have to save my Halloween decorating stuff for that. Sorry!

***UPDATE: I had the cupcakes today (the day after baking them) and oh.my.goodness! They are my favorite cupcakes to date! I ate three just today! EEEK! I have to say though, the Nutella totally makes them for me! They're so yummy! The only problem I encountered was that when I bite into the cupcake, it kind of fell apart. Between the cone I had cut out, and the very dense Nutella, the rest of the cupcake just couldn't hold together. So at least for this instance, I can say the cone method didn't work out too well. That's okay though -- I went out today and bought a pastry bag and tip set just so I could make more of these... the proper way! I can't wait to try all sorts of combinations!