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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:
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Electric stand mixer or hand mixer
- Sifter
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!
More Recipes!
If you loved this recipe, you’re going to love these, too.
- How to Make Cream Cheese (Bold Baking Basics)
- 3 Homemade Cream Cheese Flavors For The Perfect Bagel Bite
- How To Make The Best-Ever Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- How to Make Clotted Cream
- How To Make Stabilized Whipped Cream
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Try These Recipes!
Nutella Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8oz/225g) butter (softened)
- ⅔ cup (5oz/142g) Nutella (at room temperature)
- 4 cups (16oz/450g) powdered sugar (sifted)
- ¾ cup (3oz/85g) unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or with a medium bowl and a handheld electric mixer), whisk the butter and Nutella on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Lower the speed to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder until combined.
- Add in the vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of milk, increase the speed to medium, and whisk for another minute, until combined. (If the frosting is too thick, add more milk, one tablespoon at a time, and whisk in)
- Use immediately or store at cool room temperature for up to 1 day. For longer storage, refrigerate until ready to use. Let it come back up to room temperature before using it for the best-spreading consistency.
I made this yesterday to top some yellow cake cupcakes. It is sooooooo good! I cut the recipe in half. Only problem I had was that I used a medium bowl. I had powdered sugar and cocoa powder all over the kitchen. No matter. Still the best homemade frosting I have ever made.
This recipe is super delicious, the only problem I had was the frosting was dough form even after adding the recommended amount of milk. I mixed the powdered sugar and cocoa slowly into the wet mix and it made it into a dough. I recommend adding more milk to it even after the recommended amount so it’s not completely doughy
I am desperately looking for a buttercream recipe using pistachio butter, not pistachio paste, and this recipe looks awesome if I use the pistachio butter as a substitute to the Nutella, except for the 3/4 cup of cocoa powder… Could I simply add more powdered sugar instead?
Looks wonderful.
Looks yummy. After the cake or cupcakes are frosted do leftovers need to be refrigerated?