Oh my goodness, I LOVE Autumn! Gathering in the last of the summer crops, foraging for nuts and berries, and cosy afternoons in the kitchen, hoorah! These hazelnut and chocolate cupcakes with a nutty chocolate ganache are inspired by that spirit of abundance. The sponge is light yet nutty, while the topping—made with oat cream, chocolate, and hazelnut spread—adds a rich, gooey, velvety finish. A simple bake that captures the very best of this glorious season!
Hazelnuts are one of autumn’s quiet treasures, and baking with them really brings out their rich, buttery depth.
I don’t often actually make the time to go out and gather them, but when I do, there’s something really grounding about it. I love the simple rhythm of searching through fallen leaves, seeing my breath in the chilly air, and the satisfaction of bringing a handful of treasure home. Even when it is only a handful!
Even if you’re not foraging for them yourself, using fresh, seasonal hazelnuts can give you that same sense of connection to the season. It’s a reminder that baking isn’t just about the end result, but about the rhythm of nature and the comfort of bringing it into your kitchen.
Making Vegan Hazelnut Cupcakes
As always, this recipe is dairy free, egg free and vegan. You can read all about how easy vegan baking is in my longer blog post ‘Dairy Free Cupcakes’ where I discuss the options for vegan baking and make an attempt to explain the magic behind it!
A Note on Ingredients and Equipment
A detailed, printable recipe card can be found at the bottom of this post with full ingredients and method but read on for a few extra details and explanations!
- HAZELNUTS: If you are not foraging for hazelnuts (and let’s be honest, most of us are not!) do try to buy locally grown, in season hazelnuts rather than well travelled and exhausted nuts with a trail of air miles behind them. Hazelnuts ripen on the trees in September and October. You may see the cultivated version being sold as cobnuts at farmer’s markets throughout the season. Whichever nuts you buy, you need to be looking for raw hazelnuts for this recipe. Buy them ready ground or grind them at home.
- SCALES: While I do offer a conversion table in my recipe card I recommend that you use a kitchen scale to weigh out your ingredients. Cups simply aren’t accurate enough for baking.
- PLANT BASED MILK: I used soy milk in this recipe but you can use almond or oat milk. Avoid rice milk as it is much too thin for baking.
- HAZELNUT SPREAD: I use an organic vegan hazelnut spread from my local whole food shop for my ganache. For a true ‘Domestic Goddess’ moment, you can even have a go at making your own Hazelnut and Chocolate Spread. Beware classic Nutella as it contains skimmed milk powder.
- PLANT BASED CREAM: Oatly cream is my cream of choice here but if you have a personal favourite, use that!
Why I Love Baking With Hazelnuts
Simply put, baking with hazelnuts feels like autumn distilled into a single bite – nutty, comforting, and warming. I can imagine squirrels madly burying them or small mice maybe having a nibble on them. Each cupcake is a small celebration of the season, perfect for quiet afternoons or sharing with friends.
You can also eat them slightly less indulgently by leaving off the ganache and they are just as delicious.
If You Are In An Autumnal Vegan Baking Mood
You might also like:
- Pumpkin Muffins – maybe topped with some gingerbread skeletons and cinnamon buttercream!
- Coffee and Walnut Loaf Cake
- Carrot Cake
- Double Chocolate Chestnut Cake
- Ginger Muffins
- Chocolate Brownies with Pumpkin and Pecans
- Granny’s Sticky Ginger Cake
Chocolate and Hazelnut Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 6 hole muffin pan
- 6 muffin cases
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 Measuring Jug
Ingredients
For The Cupcakes
- 25 g ground hazelnuts
- 75 g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 25 g brown sugar
- 25 g caster sugar
- 75 ml soya milk you can use oat or almond milk instead
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 50 ml rapeseed oil or other mild flavoured oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50 g vegan dark chocolate chips
For The Topping (Optional)
- 75 g chocolate and hazelnut spread
- 2 tbsp single Oatly cream optional
- 25 g vegan dark chocolate chips
- a few whole hazelnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4
To Make The Muffins
- Line a 6 hole muffin tin with 6 paper muffin cases.
- Whisk together the flour, sugars, hazelnuts, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
- In a separate jug add the lemon juice to the milk and leave to stand for a few minutes until slightly lumpy*
- Add the oil and vanilla extract to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold in gently with a metal spoon or balloon whisk until combined. Don't over-beat the batter. A few small lumps are ok.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spoon or pour the batter evenly into the prepared cases.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean or cake crumbs. You might hit a melty chocolate chip - if so try again to find a cakey bit!
- Leave to cool in their tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To Make The Chocolate Hazelnut Topping
- Place a small bowl over a pan of hot water
- Add the chocolate hazelnut spread, the chocolate chips (and the optional cream**) and heat gently, stirring, until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth paste.
- Allow to cool slightly then pour evenly over the cooled cupcakes.
- Leave to cool slightly, then decorate with some pan roasted, chopped hazelnuts and enjoy!
