Cafe Mocha Cupcakes

I don't know what came first. Was it the free Starbucks Via Brew 3 Pack from our local Starbucks branch? Or was it me chancing upon this recipe? Actually, I don't care.

Don't you think chocolate and coffee are meant to be together? They're like the perfect love match. They compliment each other always. The combination of bitter and sweet is just perfect. And I won't start about all the theories they say about coffee and chocolate and happy hormones :-)

Please do not try to stop yourself from eating a few pieces of plain cupcakes straight out of the oven. Do not even attempt to control yourself from eating the coffee frosting straight from the mixing bowl. Your efforts will be useless. Trust me.

From My Baking Addiction

Café Mocha Cupcakes

yield | 24 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee - I didn't like pulling out my french press from the kitchen cabinet and cleaning it and then making brewed coffee. I just made coffee out of the Starbucks Via brew.
1 ½ teaspoon instant espresso granules - I used some more of that really good Via brew.

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
3. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Add the 1 ½ teaspoons of espresso granules to the cup of hot coffee and stir to combine. With mixer still on low, add in the coffee/espresso mixture and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Using a large scoop (about 3 tablespoons), distribute the batter into the prepared muffin tins.
4. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove them onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

For the frosting - this is the best frosting ever! I could eat this in spoonfuls!
Ingredients
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
pinch of fine grain sea salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 tablespoon instant espresso granules dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water
3-6 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

Directions
1. In a large bowl, sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Slowly add in confectioner’s sugar/cocoa powder mixture, and continue creaming until well blended.
2. Add salt, vanilla, 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk and espresso/water. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 1 to 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or milk until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Notes
-You can easily adjust the consistency of this recipe by simply adding in more heavy cream or milk.

For the garnish - I didn't make this. I'm just that lazy.
Place 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat the chips on 50% power in 30 seconds increments until chocolate is melted. Drizzle over cupcakes and finish with a chocolate covered coffee bean.

Cake adapted from Ina Garten

With big flowers

With small flowers
For my little girl :-)

Pawis rating: 2 of 5 very easy!