Coffee Cupcakes have a delicious coffee-flavored batter that’s baked to perfection and topped with a light and airy coffee buttercream. These cupcakes are simple to make and the perfect dessert for coffee fans.
You can have your coffee and eat it too with these delicious coffee-flavored cupcakes. They’re easy-to-make using staple pantry ingredients with the exception of espresso powder that is easily found at your local supermarket. This batter comes together quickly and transforms into delicious cupcakes topped with a simple, fluffy coffee buttercream.
Why this recipe works
- A coffee lover’s dream.
- It’s a light and tender cupcake.
- Topped with creamy and airy coffee buttercream.
- A simple made from scratch recipe.
Before you begin
Take out the following baking equipment.
Digital kitchen scale
Muffin pan
Cupcake liners
2 medium bowls
3 small bowls
Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
1 silicone spatula
Pastry bag
Large star pastry tip
Allow all the ingredients to come to room temperature.
Read the recipe through from start to finish.
Understanding ingredients
Espresso powder is an intensely dark and concentrated instant coffee. Often, a little bit is added to chocolate cakes to intensify the chocolate flavor. However, in this recipe, the espresso powder is used in a larger quantity to provide a delicious coffee flavor.
Sour cream plays several essential roles in these cupcakes. It adds moisture, the acidity and tanginess add a more complex flavor to the batter, and the extra fat adds another layer of richness. You can substitute 60 g (1/4 cup) of the whole milk with an additional 60 g (1/4 cup) of sour cream for an even richer flavor.
How to make the cupcake batter
Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. Using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time until combined. Stop the mixer between each addition and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the vanilla and mix well.
Add the sour cream. Mix in the sour cream until combined.
Alternate dry ingredients and milk. Reduce the mixer to low speed. In three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Bake. Fill each cupcake 2/3 full with batter and bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
How to bake the best cupcakes
Sometimes our cupcakes don’t always turn out the way we hoped. Here are some tips you can follow to make the best cupcakes possible.
Use room temperature ingredients. Take the extra time to allow all of your ingredients to come to room temperature to incorporate evenly. Otherwise, using cold ingredients can result in clumps in your batter. Also, uneven mixing can result in dense cupcakes.
Don’t overmix the batter. Mix your batter until the ingredients are just incorporated; otherwise, overmixing will crush the air bubbles that help create light and fluffy cupcakes.
Use a scoop to fill your cupcake liners. To ensure even batter distribution and uniform baking time, use a scoop for filling your cupcake liners. Even a couple of tablespoons difference can result in over or underbaked cupcakes.
Pre-heat the oven. Not only should you pre-heat your oven, but you should give it enough time to heat. Depending on the oven, it can easily take 20 minutes to pre-heat. It’s best to keep an oven thermometer in the oven to double-check the oven temperature before baking. It’s also a good way to ensure your oven is calibrated correctly.
Frost the entire cupcake. Covering the entire exposed surface of cupcakes will create a light seal to retain their moisture. Doing this will help prevent the cupcakes from drying out too quickly.
How to freeze coffee cupcakes
Cupcakes are best eaten when freshly baked. However, you can easily freeze these cupcakes if you have leftovers or would like to prep them in advance. I suggest freezing the cupcakes unfrosted and adding the frosting just before serving. Individually wrap the cupcakes tightly with plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe air-tight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
If freezing frosted cupcakes, place on a baking sheet pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes or until the frosting has hardened. Then proceed to individually wrap and freeze as described above for unfrosted cupcakes.
Tips and takeaways
- Do not fill your cupcakes more than 2/3 full otherwise, you run the risk of the cupcakes spilling over or sinking.
- For the most accurate measurement, it’s best to measure the flour using a digital kitchen scale. If you do not have a scale, then spoon and level the flour in a measuring cup.
Love cupcakes? Try these other recipes…
Make sure to tag me @thesweetoccasion on Instagram and leave me a review below if you make these Coffee Cupcakes. I’d love to see your creations and read your feedback. And if you would like to make this recipe later, be sure to pin this recipe using the button on any of these images. Let’s make every occasion a sweet occasion!
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Coffee Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 14 cupcakes 1x
- Category: Cupcakes
Description
Coffee Cupcakes have a delicious coffee-flavored batter that’s baked to perfection and topped with a light and airy coffee buttercream. These cupcakes are simple to make and the perfect dessert for coffee fans.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 187 g (1 1/3 cups) all-purpose flour
- 3 g (1 tablespoon) instant espresso powder
- 4.7 g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- 1.4 g (1/4 teaspoon) baking soda
- 2.8 g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
- 113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 220 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 100 g (2 large) eggs, at room temperature
- 4 g (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
- 60 g (1/4 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
- 180 g (3/4 cup) whole milk, at room temperature
For the coffee buttercream
- 30–60 g (2–4 tablespoons) heavy cream or whole milk
- 7 g (2 teaspoons) pure vanilla extract
- 3 g (1 tablespoon) instant espresso powder
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 450 g (1 pound) powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Line a standard muffin pan with cupcakes liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the vanilla until mixed well. Add the sour cream and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed and in three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined.
- Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter and bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set your pan on a wire rack and allow the cupcakes to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
For the coffee buttercream
- In a small bowl, whisk together 30 g (2 tablespoons) of the heavy cream, vanilla, and espresso powder until dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the powdered sugar and salt, beating until the sugar is completely incorporated. Add the cream mixture and mix until combined. For a thinner consistency add the additional 30 g (2 tablespoons) of heavy cream. Beat the buttercream on medium-high for an additional 5 minutes.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: Cupcakes can be made up to 1 day in advance. Store in an airtight container and keep at room temperature. The buttercream can also be made up to 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Rewhip buttercream in a mixer before applying to your cupcakes.
- Freezing: Freeze unfrosted or frosted cupcakes up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight
Keywords: espresso cupcakes, coffee dessert, coffee buttercream
Hi! I’m planning to add espresso to my birthday cake this year, do you have a recommendation for a specific brand? Thanks!
Hello! Sounds like a delicious birthday cake. I’ve always had consistent results with the Delallo brand. Happy Baking!
What happen to the nutrition chart?
Hi James! Thank you for stopping by. At this moment in time, I do not have the nutritional info set up for my recipes.
Hi! Will instant coffee work as well for this recipe? If so what will be the measurement? Thanks!🙂
Hello! Espresso powder is ideal for this recipe. However, if you only have instant coffee, you can substitute it for the espresso powder. For instant coffee, use 50% more for both the cupcakes and frosting. However, note that instant coffee does not have as strong of a flavor (the reason for increasing the amount), and some brands will have a sour taste to them. If possible, stick with the espresso powder for the best flavor.