Mocha Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream Frosting

I used to make these delightful little treats called Cappuccino Muffins. They were coffee and chocolate flavored, and they were served with an Espresso Cream Cheese mixture. They were more decadent than a muffin should ever be, but the recipe never translated into a good cupcake (though I have tried before). The cake was too dense. Both this recipe, modified from a recipe at Dinner and Dessert's blog, and the buttercream surprised me. The cake was fudge-y and rich without being overly sweet. Likewise, the buttercream was flavorful with out being too sweet or too buttery. Finally, I had some fun piping different designs in chocolate as a decoration for each cupcake. Of course, just a simple chocolate-covered espresso bean can do wonders.

Mocha Cupcakes
yield: 12 - 16 cupcakes

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tsp instant espresso powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

In another bowl, combine the milk, vanilla, brewed coffee, and instant espresso powder.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 - 22 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely.

Coffee Italian Meringue Buttercream 

3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar (12 tbsp), divided
2 1/2 tbsp water
20 tbsp butter (2 1/2 sticks), room temperature but not too soft

1 1/2 tbsp vanilla
2 tbsp instant espresso powder

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks. With the mixer running on medium speed, add in 2 tbsp of the sugar gradually, and continue beating until medium peaks.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 10 tbsp sugar and water in a saucepan set over medium high heat. Stir to help the sugar melt. Once melted, stop stirring and boil until it has reached 245 degrees F. This can happen relatively quickly considering the size of your pan. Once the sugar has reached 245 degrees, stream into the egg whites while the mixer is running at medium-high speed. This will cook the egg whites and create a beautiful, voluminous mixture. Continue beating for 5-8 minutes until the mixer bowl is room temperature. It's safer to err on the side of 8 minutes to ensure the egg whites are cooled.

While still beating, add in the butter, 1 tbsp at a time, until incorporated. The mixture may get soupy and will appear to seize. Keep beating (cooling it in the fridge if necessary) until it comes together. Trust me, it will. Dissolve the espresso powder in the vanilla and add to the frosting. Beat until combined. I decorated mine with melted chocolate in the shape of owls, a Batman symbol (because why not?), and asterisks with a chocolate-covered espresso bean in the center.