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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: A sophisticated chocolate-hazelnut fluffy frosting to top your favorite Best-Ever Chocolate Cake or even my Sour Cream Banana Bread — Nutella Buttercream Frosting is simple and fast to make.
As a professional chef, I’ve learned a lot of tricks to making buttercream through the years, and, after perfecting my recipe, I started to dream of frostings beyond my Best-Ever Vanilla Buttercream and my Best-Ever Chocolate Buttercream. This frosting takes the cake! It’s wonderfully flavored, and you won’t get that gritty sugar feeling that some other recipes produce.
For this addicting chocolate-hazelnut frosting, I take my time whisking Nutella with butter and sugar until it turns into a fluffy frosting that is also stiff enough to hold perfect peaks on top of my desserts.
The Secret To Great Buttercream
To ensure your Nutella buttercream is nice and fluffy, you want to be sure to take your time. My top secret to getting light and airy frosting every time? I take extra time to incorporate as much air as possible into the butter. I whip my butter with the Nutella for a full 7-8 minutes before adding in my sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Sifting these ingredients also introduces more air and ensure there are no lumps. I add a spoonful of the sugar and cocoa powder at a time, so the end product doesn’t feel gritty.

Is My Buttercream Stiff Enough?
Trying to decorate your cake with too thin buttercream is a nightmare. (Everyone else has those nightmares, right?) To get stiff buttercream, I suggest chilling the frosting in the refrigerator. When you bring down the temperature, your frosting should tighten up immediately. This will even help buttercream that’s been overmixed or made when it was too warm in the kitchen. If chilling the frosting isn’t enough, add more sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder until you get a better texture to work with.
What Do I Do If My Buttercream Is Too Thick?
Don’t toss that buttercream! You can save frosting that is too thick by simply adding one tablespoon of milk at a time until it is the consistency you want. A little milk goes a long way, so don’t get pour crazy.
Can I Freeze Buttercream Frosting?
You can freeze buttercream! This Nutella buttercream will last for up to 3 months in an airtight container in the freezer. Before using, allow the frosting to come to room temperature.
Tools You Need To Make Nutella Buttercream Frosting:
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Nutella Buttercream
- I use Nutella for this recipe, but feel free to use the brand of chocolate-hazelnut spread of your choice.
- Take the time to sift your powdered sugar and cocoa powder – small lumps won’t beat out and will show up when you frost.
- This frosting holds its shape well and is perfect for piping.
- Try this frosting with my Chocolate Cupcakes, Best-Ever Chocolate Cake, or even slathered on my Sour Cream Banana Bread!
- This flavorful frosting is very sweet and rich – a little will go a long way!
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