Nutella Buttercream Frosting

Is there anyone in this world that does not love the glorious taste of nutella?  You can spread it on just about anything and it will taste delicious.  Or if you are like me you might just eat it with a spoon.  There are a lot of recipes out there that have nutella as an ingredient.  I have tried many of them but only a few will I make a second time. When you have nutella as an ingredient there tends to be only a small nutella taste.  If I am going to use nutella I definitely want to be able to taste it.   This frosting has lots of nutella flavor.

I made these first for a friends baby shower a year ago.  They were a huge hit!  When friends found out I was bringing cupcakes to the neighborhood picnic they all started asking if I was bringing the nutella cupcakes.  Originally I tried making the cake flavored with nutella.  After adding a lot of nutella you could still hardly taste it.  What a waste of nutella.  I decided to skip the nutella in the cupcake and just use it in the frosting.  The frosting has enough nutella flavor to carry it through.

The frosting base is Italian Meringue Buttercream.  I LOVE this buttercream.  It is meringue and butter and NO greasy shortening or gritty powdered sugar.  Because butter is the main ingredient, it is as smooth as butter.  It will also get as hard as butter when refrigerated so it is best served at room temperature.  If you want a vanilla buttercream substitute a teaspoon of vanilla for the nutella.  Do try it.  It really is as wonderful as I am saying.

Nutella Buttercream Frosting


1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
5 large egg whites
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
1 cup Nutella

In a small saucepan combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Boil until the syrup reaches a temperature of 238 degrees.

While the sugar is boiling place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (don't try to do this with a hand mixer).  Whisk the egg whites on medium until stiff but not dry.  Don't over beat the egg whites.

While the mixer is running pour the syrup in a small stream.  Keep mixing on high about 3-5 minutes until the bowl of the mixer is no longer hot.  Add the butter a few tablespoons at a time and beat another 3-5 minutes until creamy.  Don't worry if it starts to look curdled-keep beating, it will come together.  Add the nutella in three parts.  Feel free to taste as you go and you can decide just how much nutella it needs.

This recipe makes A LOT!  Feel free to halve it.