Hazelnut Coffee Cupcakes

Nutella is so in vogue that it's hard to think of doing anything with hazelnuts other than mixing them with chocolate.  It's easy to forget that Hazelnut (I prefer to call her Hazel) and Coffee are coffeehouse soul sisters.  They love their guy pal, Chocolate, but sometimes they need some bestie time.  I'm here to help.

I've created hazelnut coffee cupcakes with vanilla mascarpone frosting that closely mimic the aroma and flavor of a mug of hazelnut coffee.  As you eat, your "mmmm" may transition to a soft acoustic coffee shop soundtrack.  Just go with it!

Hazelnut Coffee Cupcake Recipe

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 cup hazelnuts
•  2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee (use 2 teaspoons if you prefer stronger coffee)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup whole milk

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Spread hazelnuts onto a cookie sheet.
3. Bake for ten minutes.
4. Once the hazelnuts are cool enough to touch, roll around in your hands or in a towel to remove the dark brown skins.  Some of the skins will stick on the nuts and that's OK.
5. Food process the hazelnuts with vegetable oil until they form a thick paste.
6. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, instant coffee, and butter until fully combined.
7. Mix in hazelnut paste.
8. Mix in eggs, one at a time.
9. Mix in milk.
10. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full.
11. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Frosting Directions:

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whip butter until light and fluffy.
2. Mix in mascarpone and vanilla.
3. Mix in powdered sugar a little bit at a time.
4. Spread or pipe on cooled cupcakes.
5. Optionally top with finely chopped toasted hazelnuts.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.