Nutella Swirl Cake/Cupcakes

I used to bake these back on the tiny island called the Little Red Dot. Mini Nutella Swirl Cupcakes, to be exact. I love mini bakes ... small enough to be popped into the mouth, especially when you need a snack while working. However, I do not have any mini muffin pans with me in the woods. Since hubby dear will need to stay back late in the laboratory tomorrow evening to finish his experiments, I used my loaf pans to bake as cakes instead of cupcakes. He can share the mini-loaf with his classmates, while the boys and I have can share the bigger loaf at home!

Recipe from I heart CuppyCakes

10 tbsp (140g) Butter, softened
3/4 cup Sugar
3 Eggs
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 3/4 cups (200g) All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tsp Baking Powder
Nutella About 1/3 cup (I just scoop what I need)

• Preheat oven to 350F, since I am baking a cake instead of cupcakes.
• If baking cupcakes, preheat oven to 325F instead.
• Cream butter. Gradually add sugar, and cream both till light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time.
• Add vanilla extract.
• Stir in Flour, Salt and Baking Powder.
• Fill one third of the loaf pan with the batter and spread evenly.
• Spread a thick layer of Nutella on the batter.
• Top the Nutella with batter and fill the pan to 2/3 full.
• Top the batter with more Nutella. Swirl the Nutella with a toothpick.
• Fold a bit of the batter over the Nutella.
• Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes or till done.

This is a "Once-in-a-long-While" type of cake as the amount of butter is too much to my liking. I omit the frosting, as I find cakes with frosting a tad too sweet for my taste buds. The cake itself is sweet without the frosting, and the sides are a little crispy. The Nutella moistens the cake and it makes a good after school snack!