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. Pin It