Sunday 8 April 2012

Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting

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I'm giving myself a challenge: to make all of Brown Eyed Baker's top 10 cupcake recipes. This is my first go-round. I decided to try out Mocha Cupcakes first because I LOVE coffee and chocolate. I don't think there is a better combination in the world! (Okay, chocolate and peanut butter is a close second.) 

The result? AMAZING. I'm obsessed. The coffee and chocolate work wonderfully together: the flavour is perfectly balanced, not too much on either spectrum. The cupcakes were moist, creamy, and incredibly tasty. And the frosting... oh, the frosting. It was heavenly. It took a heck of a lot of beating, but it was SO worth it. It's light, fluffy and melts in your mouth. It also has a perfectly light coffee flavour that doesn't overpower the cupcake.

This was an awesome recipe that you just have to try. I would skip my Starbucks any day to have one of these for breakfast! These were fabulous.

(Also, I apologize for the rudimentary icing job. I'm still learning!) 


I have a confession, however: I didn't use espresso! Instant coffee was what I had on hand, so that's what I used (I've adapted the recipe to accommodate that). I always try to accommodate recipes to use what I already have in the kitchen.

Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting

Mocha Cupcakes
Yield: 12 cupcakes
  • 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup strong brewed coffee
  • 1½ teaspoons espresso powder (2 teaspoons instant coffee powder)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  1. Mix the espresso or instant coffee powder into the brewed coffee until dissolved; set aside to cool to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners.
  3. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  4. Beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, brewed coffee mixture and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee mixture, ending with the flour mixture.
  5.  Divide the batter evenly between the 12 liners. Baking for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting cupcakes.

Espresso Buttercream Frosting
Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1½ teaspoons espresso powder (1¾ teaspoons instant coffee powder)
  1. Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.
  2. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.
This recipe was slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.


Cheers,
Izzy V.
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28 comments:

  1. Insightful post on cupcakes Izzy, it looks delicious.

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  2. The recipe does sound awesome and your photos of the cupcakes are wonderful. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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    1. Thanks so much Mary! I feel honoured to have you comment on my post... I love your blog! Cheers!

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  3. Hello old friend! I just read like all your posts! I'm just annoyed you didn't tell me abt this blog earlier foo! Once my computer is back in operation I'll follow :) anyways, I'm glad you're doing well!

    Oh and you should take off the captcha because sometimes people's comments don't go they cuz they just hit publish then close the browser instead of realizing they have to prove they're not a robot. And also, it's annoying! Lol. Just sayin :) friend to friend

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    1. I don't even know how to take off captcha! Lol. Is that the automatic spam protection that blogger puts on?
      Oh and thanks :) Hope you're well too!

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  4. Oh do I love coffee! These look amazing and I bet they taste even better :)

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    1. Thanks Lisa :) They were dangerously delicious!

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  5. Yum! I've never made espresso buttercream frosting before. Yours looks fantastic. I'm following!

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  6. Looks absolutely fabulous. Thanks for sharing your recipes.

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  7. Those look criminally delicious! My gram made a super thick mocha frosting to go on top of her double chocolate brownies...there needed to be a warning not to eat one after 6pm or you'd never sleep!! Can not wait to try these. Your icing job looked pretty darn good for a "beginner"!
    I'm a new follower coming over from Not JUST a Housewife linky party...feel free to stop by my blog...never know what you might find.
    -heather
    www.fruitfuldelightsonetsy.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you! Espresso frosting on brownies... what a brilliant idea! :) Definitely trying that!
      I hope you try this recipe, these are insanely good :)
      Cheers!

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  8. These cupcakes look great, i really like the espresso frosting. I would love if you would share this and any other posts at Showcase Your Talent Thursday http://whatscookinglove.blogspot.com/2012/04/showcase-your-talent-thursday-2.html. I hope to see you there!

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    1. Great, I just did! Thanks for the invite! :)

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  9. These look delicious! I want one right now!

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  10. You don't even need to have coffee with this dessert. Fantastic flavors, please share this on my foodie friday linky today.

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    1. I'll do that right now! Thanks for the invite :)

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  11. I think you did a great job with the icing. It looks loads better than my last attempt!

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  12. These are lovely! I love cupcakes :-) Can't wait to see the other 9! Thanks for sharing at Scrumptious Sunday!

    http://iamaddictedtorecipes.blogspot.com

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  13. This is just sinfully delicious. Thanks for sharing it on foodie friday and don't forget to grab one of our buttons. See you next week,

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  14. These are so delicious looking! Congrats on challenging yourself. I have made a few of The Brown Eyed Bakers recipes and they are delish! I followed you over from Chef-in-Training and would like to invite you to share this, and any other posts, on my link party at www.michellestastycreations.blogspot.com. Have a great weekend.

    Hugs,
    Michelle

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  15. What a great recipe! I love coffee and chocolate together too, it's so delicious.

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  16. I just wanted you to know that you will be featured on "Foodie Friday" this week on Simple Living with Diane Balch. Thanks for sharing an excellent recipe. See you on Friday.

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    Replies
    1. Wow, thanks Diane!! :) See you, and have a good week!

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