I’ve always loved Nutella, but it wasn’t until I was pregnant with my son that I became obsessed. In fact, this pretzel Nutella cake recipe is solely inspired by my pregnancy cravings for dipping pretzels into a big ol’ jar of Nutella. Since I wrote that cake recipe, I’ve been whipping up this Nutella buttercream for all kinds of cakes: a Ferrero Rocher inspired cake you can find in my book and a Nutella fluffernutter cake you’ll find in my bonus recipes eBook, to name just a few.

This buttercream is a chocolate hazelnut lover’s dream. It’s smooth and creamy, easy to whip up, and tastes just like Nutella yet somehow isn’t overly sweet. You can pair it with any cake flavor that you think would go well with Nutella. Here are a few of my favorite pairings:

One Bowl Chocolate Cake (or the cupcake version)
Banana Cake
Pretzel Cake
Peanut Butter Cake
Coffee Layer Cake

The secret to the perfect chocolate hazelnut flavor here is (you guessed it): Nutella. It gets added into the buttercream after mixing together the butter and powdered sugar in the recipe. You can find Nutella at most grocery stores, but if you’re having a hard time finding it locally, you can substitute any chocolate hazelnut spread or order the real deal from Amazon.

This Nutella Buttercream is super versatile. It’s perfect for filling and frosting cakes and it pipes like a dream, making it ideal for decorating cakes or cupcakes. Here’s what it looks like on cake:

pretzel nutella cake by sugar and sparrow

ferrero rocher cake by sugar and sparrow

If you want to go really overboard (in the best way) with this Nutella buttercream, pair it with a Nutella ganache drip! Nobody who loves chocolate hazelnut will complain. No matter what you decide to pair it with, it’s a true crowd pleaser and family favorite around here. I hope it becomes one of your favorite frostings too.

nutella buttercream recipe by sugar and sparrow

Ingredients

1 Cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 Cups (420g) powdered sugar
1/2 Cup (150g) Nutella
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Instructions

With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes.
Add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Add the Nutella and beat on med-high for a full minute. Turn the mixer to low and add the vanilla, milk, and salt. Mix for another 1-2 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed, until smooth and fully incorporated.

Notes

Make Ahead Tip: this Nutella buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one day. Alternatively, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix with your stand mixer on low speed to bring it back to piping/frosting consistency.

Yield: This buttercream makes enough to:

Frost 12-15 cupcakes with a piping bag
Fill and crumb coat a three-layer 6-inch cake or two-layer 8-inch cake. To have enough for frosting and decorating as well, double the recipe.

I hope this Nutella buttercream is everything you wished it would be! Let me know what you think in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram if you post a pic! I love to see what you create.

Nutella Buttercream Recipe