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Mocha Cupcakes
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Mocha cupcakes are the perfect treat for coffee lovers. Moist mocha cupcakes swirled with coffee buttercream frosting and a sprinkle of cocoa powder.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Mocha Cupcakes
- ¼ cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
- 2 tsp instant espresso powder
- ¾ cup boiling water
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- Additional dark cocoa powder for garnish
Instructions
Mocha Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a small bowl or a glass liquid measuring cup, stir together chocolate chips, cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, and boiling water until the cocoa powder is dissolved. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
- Add vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined and smooth.
- Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, approximately ¾ full.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when touched.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add in room temperature butter. Whip the butter for 5 minutes on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides occasionally.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed setting until fully combined.
- Add in instant espresso powder, vanilla extract and salt. Drizzle in heavy cream and mix on low speed until well combined.
- Turn the mixer on high and whip for an additional 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the frosting is well mixed.
- Pipe the coffee buttercream frosting onto the cooled mocha cupcakes using your favorite piping tip! Add on a dusting of dark cocoa powder.
Notes
Mocha cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days! To serve, bring the cupcakes to room temperature for best results.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
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