Need a quick spring or Easter dessert? You will love these cute dark chocolate cupcakes filled with hazelnut flavor and frosted robin egg blue buttercream. Atop these adorable cupcakes are birds nest with speckled chocolate eggs. Easy recipe and decor for any occasion especially for Easter dinner or brunch.
How to Make Chocolate Hazelnut Robin Nest Cupcakes
Start with the from scratch chocolate cupcake recipe. These cupcakes are super moist and have a deep hazelnut flavor. The flavor comes from strong brewed hazelnut creme coffee that is added to the cupcake batter. Also, inserted into the center of baked cupcakes is a teaspoon of hazelnut chocolate spread made Bonne Maman or Nutella. I prefer the flavor and purity of Bonne Maman as the product is made in France.
Note, if you don’t like hazelnut flavor, you can add hot water in replacement of the coffee in the cupcakes. For the chocolate I used organic unsweet cocoa powder. You can also use cacao unsweet powder if you would like.
The robin egg blue buttercream is American buttercream tinted with sky blue, navy and white food gel. Once the butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla is beaten smooth and creamy two drops of sky blue, two drops navy, and two drops white food gel is mixed to create a lovely robin egg blue color. This color and flavor pairs well with the dark chocolate and does not over power the hazelnut flavors.
Toasted large flaked coconut from Bob Mills Brand creates the easy to make nest, speckled Cadbury eggs are added to the nest. To make the speckled eggs, a mixture of cocoa and vanilla extract becomes a chocolate paint. With a clean craft brush, flickering the paint on the candy eggs makes them speckled. So Easy but a bit messy be sure to cover your work space with paper towel or wax paper on a baking sheet when speckling candy eggs. I also speckled the robin blue buttercream before putting the toasted coconut on top of the cupcake.
How to Make Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin or cupcake pan with cupcake liners. I used white cupcake liners. No need to grease the muffin tin.
In large glass mixing bowl that is microwave safe add 4 tablespoons chocolate chips, cocoa or cacao powder and hot water or strong hazelnut creme coffee. Whisk together until melted and somewhat thick.
Add sugar and vegetable oil, whisk to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla. Whisk to blend. Set aside.
In another bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring to blend. Do not over mix. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula.
Chocolate Cupcake Batter is ready to place into muffin liners. Batter will be slightly thin but not to worry this is perfect. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake at 350° F for 17 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting. Freeze the cupcakes for 15 minutes to help cut out the center for filling with hazelnut spread.
Next step filling the cupcake with chocolate hazelnut spread. Use the round size of a piping tip or other tool to make a center opening. Do not cut all the way through the cupcake, about half way through the center works well to help keep the structure of the cupcake when eating. You can spoon or pipe the spread, I found piping is fast and easier to fill cupcakes.
Note: save the cake piece you have cut out as you will replug the opening after filling. You want a flat surface for piping the buttercream to hold nest.
Robin Egg Blue Buttercream Frosting
In a bowl of stand mixer, beat on medium speed softened butter, and 1 cup of confectioner’s sugar, beat until well mixed, add remaining confectioner’s sugar. Continue to beat buttercream, add half and half or milk, vanilla extract and salt. Once this is mixed, add 2 drops sky blue, 2 drops navy and 3-4 drops of white food gel to achieve the robin egg blue color. Set aside until ready to pipe cupcakes. ( If you want a light almost pastel color blue, just use 1 drop of sky blue food gel).
Meanwhile, create the Speckled Candy Eggs. In a small cup mix 1 teaspoon of unsweet cocoa with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract creating a chocolate paint. Dip a clean crafting brush in liquid paint and with index finger gently flick the paint onto the candy eggs. I used Cadbury Mini Eggs. Set aside to let paint dry. (well cover your work space with paper towel or wax paper as the flicks cant help but go everywhere. hahaha)
Frosting Cupcakes & Assembly
Fit a 16″ piping bag with tip # 1 A large round, fill bag with buttercream. Pipe a large dollop on top of each cupcake. Use an off set spatula to flatten center of dolloped frosting slightly to create a flat surface for the coconut nest. Set aside. 
Toast unsweetened large flake coconut on a large baking sheet and bake at 350 for 5 minutes. Watch closely as not to over brown or burn. Remove from oven and cool.
Place coconut on top of the frosted cupcake forming a nest, add three speckled eggs to center.
Serve cupcakes on a pretty cake stand or place at each place setting for Easter Dinner or Spring event.
Hope you will try this recipe. Everyone will love them. If you want to make another birds nest with chow mein noodles, chocolate, and peanut butter, check out my recipe for Chocolate Bird Nest No Bake Recipe.
Serve the cupcakes on a cute cake stand or at individual place settings. Enjoy!
Chocolate Bird Nest No Bake Recipe
Chocolate Hazelnut Robin Nest Cupcakes
Chocolate Hazelnut flavored and filled cupcakes with toasted coconut “nest” with Cadbury speckled eggs. Perfect dessert for Easter Celebration or any Springtime event.
Equipment: disposable 16″ piping bag, Tip # 1 A large 1/2″ round shape, white cupcake liners, cupcake pan, clean small craft paint brush, baking sheet for toasting coconut, small off set spatula, stand mixer paddle attachment.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes cupcakes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 90 minutes includes decorating
- Yield: 12 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Assembly, Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
4 tablespoons semi sweet chocolate chips, tested Ghirardelli
1/2 cup organic unsweet cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water or hazelnut creme coffee
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Hazelnut Filling
1 cup hazelnut chocolate spread- tested Bonne Maman (or Nutella)
Robin Egg Blue Buttercream
1 cup ( 2 sticks) butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons half and half or milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1–2 drops Sky Blue, 2 drops navy blue, 4 drops white food gel
Nest
1 cup large flake unsweet coconut, toasted
Speckled Eggs
1 teaspoon unsweet cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or orange extract
clean craft paint brush
36 Cadbury Mini Chocolate Eggs (12 cupcakes x 3 per cake)
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin or cupcake pan with white cupcake liners.
2.In microwave safe mixing bowl, add chocolate chips, cocoa powder and strong hazelnut creme coffee or hot water, whisk until melted and slightly thickened.
3.Add granulated sugar, vegetable oil, whisk to combine. Add eggs and vanilla, whisk to blend.
4.In separate mixing bowl add flour, baking soda and salt, whisk together, add to chocolate batter. Whisk to blend, but do not over beat. Scrape down sides and bottom of mixing bowl with rubber spatula.
5. With ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full. Bake cupcakes 17 minutes until fully baked or until toothpick inserted in middle of cakes comes out clean. ( cupcakes will continue to bake once you remove from oven). Remove from oven and allow too cool while you make Robin Blue Buttercream.
Hazelnut Filling
1. Once cupcakes are cool, use the piping tip wide end to remove center of cupcake. Reserve the cake piece you removed.
2. Fill a disposable piping bag with hazelnut chocolate spread. Clip end of piping bag and pipe spread in the well of the cupcake. Plug the opening with reserved chocolate cake, pressing securely over the top of the cupcake. Set aside.
Robin Egg Blue Buttercream
1. In bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream softened butter 1-2 minutes on medium speed. Add one cup confectioner’s sugar, beat on medium speed. Continue to add all confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, beating between additions. ( this will make your buttercream soft and creamy).
2. Add vanilla, half and half or milk, and salt. Mix on medium speed until well incorporated and buttercream loosens a bit. Add food gel, 2 drops sky blue, 2 drops navy blue and 4 drops white food gel for the robin blue color.
3. Fit disposable 16″ piping bag with large round piping tip, 1 A. (piping end tip is 1/2″ wide). Fill piping bag with buttercream. Pipe a large round dollop on center of each cupcake.
4.With off set spatula slightly flatten tops of frosting to create a space for the “nest”. Set cupcakes aside.
Speckled Eggs
1. In small custard cup, add 1 teaspoon unsweet cocoa and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix until smooth creating a chocolate paint.
2. Line work baking sheet and area space around your work space with paper towel. Layout all 36 candy eggs on baking sheet. With clean craft brush, dip brush on chocolate paint. lightly dab as not to be running off the brush. With index finger, flick brush bristles to splatter paint onto the candy eggs. Hold paint brush close to eggs for speckling. Do not move the candy eggs until the flecks are dry.
3.Speckle piped frosting on top of cupcakes, allow to dry.
Toasting Coconut
On baking sheet, spread coconut in single layer, place sheet in preheated 300 ° F oven. Toast for 5 minutes, watch closely as not to over brown. Toast too desired color. Remove from oven, and cool.
Cupcake Nest Assembly
Sprinkle toasted coconut in center of piped blue buttercream forming a nest shape. Add three speckled eggs to each nest. Serve cupcakes at room temperature.
*Cupcakes can be baked ahead and frozen until ready to decorate up to 30 days before event. When ready to decorate, bring to room temperature, fill with hazelnut chocolate spread, and continue to decorate.
*Toasted coconut and speckling eggs can be made ahead as well as buttercream for quick decorating right before serving.
Other Ideas You Might Like to Try:
Best ever chocolate cupcake recipe. Super fast to make and bake. You can use any frosting and fill it with a lot of different fillings or no filling. Take the same recipe and make a single 6″ cake or a two layer 3″ cake. Be sure to decorate the frosted cake. Yum!