Pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, coconuts.... - Nutella Cupcakes

I have to get on a plane today and I am once again having panic attacks hours before take-off.

I admit it, I am terrified to fly. I believe it's called "aviophobia."

It's a fairly recent development for me (starting a few years ago) and a few extremely bumpy flights where the flight attendants have been ordered to stay strapped in their seats hasn't helped either. But fly I must! It's Beth's wedding in Pacific City, Oregon and there I plan to be! I'll stick to my current ritual of the following:

a pre-flight cocktail at the airport bar
a trashy magazine
episodes of Mad Men loaded on the ipod
my superstitious habit of touching the outside of the plane with my right hand just before boarding (for good luck)

I don't know why I do that last one, or how it started. Just seems to be the right thing to do...giving the giant beast a bit of a pat in an agreement of safely transporting myself and everyone else. At least, it makes me feel just a bit better. And lastly, I'm bringing along the final nutella cupcake from the batch I made earlier this week, the rest being split amongst co-workers and friends.

I realize the cupcake craze ended a year or so ago, and that now everyone has moved on to more sophisticated things such as french macaroons and whatnot. Hip, I may not be.

But...

I had a goal. Take the nutella cake of this post and turn it into cupcakes. Simple. It was such a fantastic cake, how could it not be just as good (if not better) in cupcake form? Turns out, it was! Nothing like a chocolate hazelnut cupcake with ganache icing to calm one's nerves on a flight. This recipe will make 12 cupcakes. All you need is the cupcake tin and some liners (I admit I forgot the liners and ended with the bottoms of these slightly destroyed, luckily that doesn't affect the taste!) Mmmmm, chocolate hazelnut cupcakes!

Which reminds me...the last time I took a flight to Portland Leah came along. The bumps started and tears began to roll down my cheeks. My breathing tightened and I was on the verge of panic. Leah assessed the situation and said calmly, "What's your favorite kind of nut?" I looked at her as if she was just that, nuts! "What? What are you talking about?" she answered, "Let's just name all the different kinds of nuts we can, it'll take your mind off of the turbulence." I tried my best to ignore her as she started her list, "Pine nuts, walnuts, coconut (is that even a real nut?)" but she's a tough one to ignore. I think I chimed in with a few suggestions, and I have to admit, it did help a bit.

Hazelnuts. Even better with chocolate, even better in cupcakes and hopefully just as good on a flight to Portland, Oregon! Wish me luck!