Coffee Cupcakes With Mocha Buttercream Frosting

Have your coffee and eat it too with these moist, flavorful coffee cupcakes that taste like your favorite cup of joe. This cupcake recipe is a proven crowd-pleaser and makes plenty to share with your friends, neighbors, and co-workers!

I HATE coffee. Strike that. I used to hate coffee. Now I can mildly tolerate it, though I still don’t know much about various brands and types. If you threw me into a Starbucks, I would just order whatever they were advertising on the closest poster. Actually, that’s exactly what I do.

There was always something about that distinct coffee smell that really rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it’s because I once had to spend an entire night with some stranger’s cold coffee staining my jacket as I rode the bus back home from my part-time job in college. Maybe it’s because I once went through a Starbucks craze while in high school and tried to make my own coffee at home with disastrous results. Who knows.

Coffee cupcakes…now that’s a horse of a different color!

By the way, look at that picture above with the mug adorned in frosting. Inside, there is an actual coffee cupcake…Or, more like 4 cupcakes, about half a pound of frosting, and a billion calories. Something just told me that I needed to make the coffee cupcakes in a coffee mug, but when I noticed how much batter I needed, I quickly move over to the regular cupcakes. Perhaps I should’ve just used a smaller mug.

If you are a true coffee lover, you will adore these coffee cupcakes because they merge the best parts of coffee with a pastry. And the mocha buttercream frosting? It’s pretty much the perfect coffee topping.

I am telling you, this is going to be the only way you can start your Monday mornings. This is a really great recipe to experiment with different types of coffee (I am picturing myself making these next fall with pumpkin spice coffee… yum!).

I do recommend using the darker roasts or anything with a strong flavor to really enhance that coffee taste. I actually prefer to make this with coffee that is about double in strength. There are also lots of coffee concentrates available in stores (I love Chameleon) that would be perfect for these cupcakes.

When making the batter, you will notice that it is very runny and you may be tempted to add more flour. Don’t. Resist this urge as much as you can. You will still end up with a light, springy cake, it just takes a little longer to bake. The results are a moist, melt-in-your-mouth experience.

How to Make Coffee Cupcakes Without Eggs

You can make these cupcakes if you cannot eat eggs. I like to make a flax or chia “egg” by using 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed and 3 tablespoons of water. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes to gel. This mixture equals about one egg. Just double or triple the amounts for whatever number of eggs needed in any baked good recipe.

Don’t have time to make this coffee-tastic cupcake now? Pin it for later!

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Coffee Cupcakes With Mocha Buttercream Frosting

Prep 30 mins

Cook 20 mins

Total 50 mins

Author Amanda Powell

Yield 24 24 cupcakes

Moist coffee cupcakes with an irresistible mocha buttercream frosting

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 3 cups (384 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
• 2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon  nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 2 cups (402 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (223 grams) vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup (184 grams) milk, room temperature
• 1 cup (236 grams) strong brewed coffee (I recommend double strength or cold brew concentrate), room temperature
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons (10 grams) vanilla

Mocha Buttercream

• 1 cup (225 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups (448 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup of your favorite coffee (cooled to room temperature)
• 1 tablespoon (14.3 grams) instant espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons (28.3 grams) cocoa powder, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cupcake pan with liners or grease with butter and flour.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, espresso powder, and sugar in a medium bowl.
3. Whisk vigorously the oil, milk, coffee, eggs, and vanilla together in a large bowl.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture to the coffee mixture and mix to combine. Do not over mix.
5. Evenly distribute the batter among the liners. You may need to make a second batch.
6. Bake the cupcakes for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Allow the cupcakes to completely cool.
8. Cream the butter until light and fluffy.
9. Slowly add the powdered sugar and salt.
10. Mix the cream, espresso, coffee, salt, and cocoa powder together, then slowly add to the frosting while beating the mixture. You may not need all of the liquid. 
11. Frost, dust with extra cocoa powder, and enjoy!

Notes

Keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

Courses Dessert

Cuisine American

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving
Calories 328
% Daily Value

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.