Whether you are making a classic buttermilk vanilla cake for a birthday party celebration or a luxurious red velvet cake to share with guests at a dinner party, store-bought frosting is not only convenient, it’s tasty. However, if you want to amp up its flavor, you should try Buddy Valastro’s trick. The Cake Boss, whose famous cake brand you can find at some Chuck E. Cheese locations, shared how he keeps a jar of Nutella handy to transform canned frosting into a spread that tastes creamy and gourmet.
Nutella has a lighter flavor than straight-up chocolate, thanks to the combination of hazelnuts and cocoa. It readily complements a can of vanilla buttercream without overpowering it. Start with a can of frosting that hasn’t been opened. If you use one that has been stored in the fridge, you will want to bring it to room temperature so it will mix and blend more readily with the Nutella. You can use a mixer, but Valastro uses a simple spatula to blend his.
How much of this hazelnut spread should you add? It depends on the flavor and texture you are hoping to achieve. Start with a couple of tablespoons and work your way up to three-quarters cup to one cup of Nutella. You can always add more if your taste buds want it.
Add a pinch of salt
Buddy Valastro’s Nutella hack works best if you start with a new jar of the spread when adding it to your favorite store-bought brand of vanilla frosting; however, unless you are hiding your Nutella, chances are someone has already opened it to make a strawberry and Nutella sandwich on pretzel bread. If this is the case, you may notice the spread is a little thick, even clumpy. Before you break out those measuring cups, just be sure to stir it well, and this should solve this consistency issue.
To really enhance the layers of flavor and minimize an overly sugary tasting frosting, you can add a dash of salt to your almost homemade, canned Nutella frosting. Additionally, if you want to add more hazelnut flavor, consider crushing some Ferrero Rocher chocolates and sprinkling them on top of your cake or cupcakes, or artistically use the whole candy for a delicious bite. It may become your go-to dessert for that school bake sale or potluck.