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.