Espresso Cupcake Recipe
These espresso cupcakes are for all coffee lovers out there! it's a super simple recipe that delivers super fluffy espresso cupcakes, with a creamy espresso buttercream frosting. Together, they deliver the perfect cupcake with an amazing coffee flavor.
Servings: cupcakes
Equipment
- 2 cupcake tins
- 21 cupcake liners
- 1 piping bag
- 1 1M piping tip
Ingredients
Espresso Cupcakes
- 2 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Cup full fat milk room temperature
- 2 tablespoons espresso powder
- 1 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
- 1 Cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 Large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 Cup sour cream room temperature
Espresso buttercream
- 1/4 Cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 1/2 Cup unsalted butter slightly colder than room temperature
- 6 1/4 Cup powdered sugar measured, then sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 Cup Chocolate covered espresso beans measured, then crushed (optional)
Instructions
Espresso Cupcakes
- Pre-heat oven to 400 Fahrenheit and line 2 cupcake tins with paper liners.
- Mix the dry ingredients on a medium sized bowl, and set aside.2 1/2 Cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- On a small separate bowl, mix the milk and instant espresso powder, until coffee is completely dissolved, and set aside.1 Cup (236.6 ml) full fat milk, 2 tablespoons espresso powder
- Over a large bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), mix in medium-high speed butter and sugar for around 3 minutes, until color turns into a lighter shade.1 1/2 Cup (300 g) granulated sugar, 1 Cup (227 g) unsalted butter
- Add eggs and vanilla extract to creamed butter mixture and mix until just combined.2 Large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, add the sour cream and mix.1/4 Cup (57.5 g) sour cream
- Turn speed to low. Start adding the flour mixture and coffee milk mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating them, starting and finishing with the flour and mixing until just incorporated. It's important that you don't over mix the batter at this point.
- Divide batter into the cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 full. I used a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop. Bake cupcakes in preheated oven for 5 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Let cupcakes cool for a few minutes in the cupcake tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Espresso buttercream
- Start by mixing the heavy whipping cream and 4 teaspoons espresso powder, until no lumps are visible.1/4 Cup (59.1 ml) heavy whipping cream, 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- Cream butter in medium-high speed until light and fluffy, for around 1.5 minutes. Turn speed to low.1 1/2 Cup (340.5 g) unsalted butter
- Gradually, add the sifted icing sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and espresso powder mixture. Mix until just combined, then turn speed to medium-high and beat for an additional minute, or until frosting is light and fluffy.6 1/4 Cup (750 g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon salt
- Using a piping bag and 1M tip, pipe a high swirl of espresso buttercream into the completely cooled cupcakes and add some crushed chocolate covered espresso beans on top.1/4 Cup (42.5 g) Chocolate covered espresso beans
Notes
- Measure all of your ingredients correctly. For the flour and powdered sugar, use the spoon method, scooping them into your measuring cup without compacting them. Then, level them with the back of a knife.
- Use room temperature ingredients. This will ensure they mix more evenly and give the desired results in terms of consistency and texture
- Use an ice cream scoop or a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to fill your cupcake liners with batter for similar sized cupcakes
- Baking your cupcakes for 5 minutes at 400 Fahrenheit, then turning the oven temperature down to 350 F for the rest of the baking time, helps keeping the cupcakes from sinking in the middle and have a better rise
- Don't open your oven door constantly to check on your cupcakes, changes in temperature could mess them up. Instead, wait until cupcakes are almost ready (around 350 F with 9-10 minutes of baking) to check on them
- Moisture is one of the causes of your paper liners peeling off your cupcakes. To avoid this, don't let the cupcakes cool completely in the cupcake tins. Instead, transfer them to a cooling rack 3-5 minutes after the cupcakes have been out of the oven
- Storing your cupcakes warm can also lead to moisture. Wait until they are completely cooled to store them in any container
- Over baking your cupcakes will turn them dry. Keep an aye on them, and take them out of the oven as soon as they're done
- Do not frost your cupcakes until they're completely cooled
