Happy Hippo Cupcakes

I had my friend Lod over this weekend and we decided in advance that we were going to bake cupcakes together. We both love Kinder's Happy Hippos and used to buy them for each other in Secondary School to cheer one another up (girl's school was tough). I also wanted to incorporate Nutella as it is 'World Nutella Day' on 5th February and I wanted to get some practice in, plus it has the same hazelnut flavour as Happy Hippos but with the bonus of gooey chocolateness.

Chocolate Chip Sponge

The sponge is chocolate chip which is a light base for the intense Nutella icing.

This recipe makes 12, for the sponge you will need:
100g butter, softened
150g self-raising flour
1/2tsp baking powder
150g caster sugar
3tbsp whole milk
2 eggs, beaten
1tsp vanilla extract
100g chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 180°C, Gas Mark 4. Line your cupcake/muffin tin with cases, or grease and lightly dust with flour your silicone moulds.

• In a mixing bowl beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, slowly incorporate the eggs whilst beating.

• Sift in self-raising flour and baking powder.

• Add whole milk and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

• Fold in the chocolate chips.

• Spoon mixture into your prepared moulds/cases.

• Bake for 20 minutes, until tops are golden and spring back to the touch.

• Allow to cool on wire rack. 

Nutella buttercream icing

This buttercream is intense and unbelievably moreish, its very hard not eat it straight from the bowl.

Ingredients:

250g icing sugar, sifted

80g butter, softened

25ml whole milk

1 vanilla pod

90g Nutella

• Pour your milk into a jug and add the vanilla pod to it (sliced in half lengthwise) leave overnight or for a couple of hours, covered in the fridge.

• Cream together butter and slowly add sugar, cream in nutella until smooth.

• Remove vanilla pod and gradually add milk until required consistency is reached.

• Pipe onto cupcakes and top with Happy Hippos and toasted hazelnuts.