This rich and creamy frosting combines milk chocolate with Nutella for a perfectly balanced addition to any dessert. It’s my new favorite frosting for cupcakes and layer cakes, and it tastes amazing!
When I was deciding what to make my daughter for her second birthday, I wanted to create the perfect frosting for her cake. I wanted something that had a bit of complexity but was still easy to make, and would please both kids and adults. After several attempts at creating the perfect frosting, I came up with this milk chocolate Nutella buttercream that I promise is just as delicious as it sounds.
It’s super smooth, rich and creamy, and it looks and tastes incredible! It’s a new favorite in our family, and it pairs amazing with any cake or cupcake. It’s definitely one of my all-time favorite frosting recipes, along with my white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream.
What’s in Nutella frosting?
This frosting is similar to my chocolate frosting recipe, but I substitute milk chocolate for dark chocolate, omit the cocoa powder for a subtle flavor, and add just enough Nutella for added richness and a touch of hazelnut flavor.
Not only is it delicious, but the Nutella helps stabilize the frosting and provides just enough structure, so it’s perfect for all types of cakes and cupcakes. I like to use as little powdered sugar as possible so it isn’t overly sweet, but you can add more if you want the frosting to be stiffer. If you’re a true Nutella addict, you can add more. Just keep in mind this will make the frosting softer, so it really depends how you plan to use it.
How can I use Nutella frosting?
You can top any cake, cupcake, or even brownies with this amazing frosting. But here are some of my favorite pairings:
More of my favorite frosting recipes
- Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- My Favorite Vanilla Buttercream
- Perfect Cream Cheese Frosting
Milk Chocolate Nutella Frosting
This rich and creamy milk chocolate Nutella frosting is sophisticated enough for adults but perfectly sweet and delicious for kids. Pair it with your favorite cake or cupcake recipe!
This amount of frosting will be enough to frost 16 cupcakes, a sheet cake, and a 6-inch or an 8-inch layer cake.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups (300g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, or more as needed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 200 g (7 oz.) milk chocolate, melted and cooled*
- ½ cup (160g) Nutella
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
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In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and salt at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and melted chocolate until combined. Add Nutella and heavy cream, and beat until combined and frosting is smooth and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar if needed, until frosting is spreadable.
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Use immediately or store in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and whisk until smooth.
Recipe Notes
* I recommend using a good quality milk chocolate because you can really taste a difference in the frosting. However, any milk chocolate bars or chips will work.
