Mocha Cupcakes (Super Moist)
These Mocha Cupcakes combine the perfect coffee and chocolate pairing in a deliciously moist, irresistible treat.
Servings 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter Ingredients
- ½ cup espresso
- 1/4 cup. whole milk
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1/8 tsp. sea salt
- 2 oz. unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
Frosting Ingredients
- 4 oz. cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp. espresso cooled
Instructions
How to Make Cupcakes Batter
- First, brew espresso.
- Next, combine liquid ingredients: espresso, whole milk, and pure vanilla extract. Set aside until ready for use.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners. Sift dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a whisker until well combined.
- Beat butter and organic and brown sugars together at a high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the egg and beat again until combined.
- Pour in the liquid mixture and mix for 10 seconds. Then add the dry mixture. At the lowest speed, mix everything together well for about a minute (do not over mix). Scrap down the sides and bottom of the mixer bowl and mix again for 30 seconds.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 12 liners.
Baking Time
- Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted in the center of a cupcake, comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting cupcakes.
How to Make Frosting
- Beat softened cream cheese and organic sugar for 2 minutes. Let it sit on the mixer base for a couple of minutes (to allow the larger granules of organic sugar to melt). Beat again for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer and set it aside.
- In a small bowl, beat heavy cream until thick (do not overbeat or it will turn into butter chunks).
- Add ½ of the beaten heavy cream to the cream cheese mixture and mix them with a silicon spatula. Then add the second half of the heavy cream and mix well again. Finally, add 1 tbsp. of cooled espresso and combine well.
How to Decorate Cupcakes
- Using a large 1M tip to pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
- Sprinkle a bit of cacao or finely ground coffee on top of each cupcake.
Notes
- Always use room temperature ingredients when baking, as they combine more easily and result in a smoother batter. This is especially important for the egg and butter in this mocha cupcake recipe.
- When mixing your cupcake batter, be careful not to overmix. Overmix in baking can lead to a tough and dense texture. Mix just until all the ingredients are incorporated for the best results.
- Use a standard-size muffin tin and fill each liner about two-thirds full. This allows the cupcakes to rise evenly without spilling over the edges.
- To check if your cupcakes are done, insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, they're ready. If not, give them a few more minutes and check again.
- For the frosting, make sure to beat the heavy cream until it's thick, but be careful not to overbeat. Overbeaten cream can turn into butter, which is not what we're going for here.
- Store frosted cupcakes in the fridge in a container covered with a lid for about 4-5 days before they start to get hard and dry.
- Bake cupcakes up to two days ahead of the event and arrange them (unfrosted) in a container with a lid and store them at room temperature. Frost before serving.
- To freeze cupcakes, arrange unfrosted cupcakes in the container and cover them with a lid. Freeze for up to two months.