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.
Don;t have time to make this coffee-tastic cupcake now? Pin it for later!
Coffee Cupcakes With Mocha Buttercream Frosting
Prep
Cook
Total
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 (2.5 grams) cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon (2.5 grams) nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons (28.3 grams) 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 almost double strength), 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 cup (59 grams) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (59 grams) 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
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cupcake pan with liners or grease with butter and flour.
- Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, espresso powder, and sugar in a medium bowl.
- Whisk vigorously the oil, milk, coffee, eggs, and vanilla together in a large bowl.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the coffee mixture and mix to combine. Do not over mix.
- Evenly distribute the batter among the liners. You may need to make a second batch.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to completely cool.
- Cream the butter until light and fluffy.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar.
- Mix the cream, espresso, coffee, and cocoa powder together, then add to the frosting and mix until fully incorporated.
- 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.
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Also, see to it that you follow the correct coffee beans and water proportion. Putting too much water and little coffee beans in the coffee maker will certainly yield a poor and “weak” brew. A general rule when brewing is to put 2 tablespoons of grounded coffee beans for every 6 ounces of water.
If I can’t find Instant Espresso Powder in time can I just use instant coffee?
Yes, that would work, it just won’t be as strong of a flavor, but still present and really delicious!
you can find espresso powder at Williams & Sanoma
The Instant Espresso Powder is the one that you put on the coffee maker or is a different one?
It is one you would simply mix with hot water – no coffee maker needed. It’s also known as freeze dried espresso. Usually you can find some in boxes already ore measured out along with the other coffee products.
These look beautiful. I adore coffee!