Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting
These mocha cupcakes are coffee and espresso-infused, with a subtle chocolate flavor, and topped with an espresso-spiked buttercream frosting.
These mocha cupcakes are a chocolate and coffee lover’s dream come true. If you can’t get your day going without your favorite cup of coffee, you’re in luck.
I might even go so far as to suggest that you should just skip your morning cup of coffee or trip to Starbucks and have one of these instead. The cake part itself strikes a subtle balance between light chocolate and a hint of creamy coffee. Not overwhelming on either end of the spectrum, and the combination results in a smooth, clean flavor, which is perfect for topping with espresso-spiked buttercream.
I love this recipe because it’s incredibly low maintenance in terms of preparation. I used my hand mixer and had these babies into the oven less than 30 minutes after I got started. I am absolutely infatuated with the texture of the cupcake – it’s so incredibly soft and tender, with not even a hint of dryness. It’s basically the perfect cupcake and I’m dying to think of other recipes to use the same base recipe.
As always, I try to achieve at least a 1:1 ratio of frosting to cake when frosting my cupcakes. Frosting is dreamy, yes? I could eat it with a spoon, straight from the mixing bowl. I pile it way high!
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I’ve mentioned many times that I’m not a big coffee drinker, mostly because I don’t like the flavor of black coffee, so I need to doctor it up with all kinds of cream and sugar to enjoy it, and I figure if I’m going to do that, I might as well just have some dessert… Oh wait.
These mocha cupcakes are pretty much how I like to ingest my coffee. Sugar? Check. Cream? Check.
While I don’t drink coffee, I absolutely, positively LOVE these cupcakes, and I’m willing to bet that many of you will, too!
Four years ago: Cherry Coke Float Cupcakes
Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- ½ cup (118.5 ml) brewed coffee, at room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) espresso powder
- ½ cup (122 ml) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⅓ cups (166.67 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (28.67 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
For the Espresso Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) espresso powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners.
- Make the Cupcakes: In a measuring cup, whisk the espresso powder into the brewed coffee until completely dissolved. Add the milk and vanilla extract; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions of the coffee mixture, mixing each until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a final stir to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.
- Make the Frosting: In a small bowl, whisk the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.
- Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high speed until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary. Frost the cupcakes as desired (I used the Wilton 1M decorating tip).
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on August 13, 2010.
My cupcakes turned out terrible! :( They didn’t rise in a dome shape but rather just spread out. I live in Calgary, AB, Canada where our elevation is very high. Perhaps that’s the reason. Or overworked in the mixer. They taste ok but don’t peel out of the wrapper properly. No noticeable coffee flavor either. I’d recommend using 1/2c fresh espresso instead. (I’m a seasoned baker 15+ yrs)
What type of icing tip do you use to give it that satiny ribbon look? Because I am definitely making these on the weekend
Hi Laura, I used a Wilton 1M tip.
I just made these and wow. The cupcakes itself are fluffy and delicious. The frosting was also so good, but the only thing I did to it was increased the amount of espresso powder to 1 tablespoon. Other than that so good and will definitely be making these again.
OH MY GOD!!! These cupcakes are to die for. Just finished making them and had to taste test. They practically melt in your mouth and the buttercream frosting is divine! They are perfect. Thanks so much for sharing this amazing recipe Michelle.
I haven’t made these cupcakes but I have made the frosting several times to top my favorite chocolate, espresso cake/cupcakes and brownies. The frosting is delicious, thank you so much for sharing the recipe. :) (Hershey’s Black Magic cake is my favorite chocolate, espresso cake recipe and it is incredibly easy)
When I tried these, they didn’t rise. I think the recipe wanted 1 1/3 cups of flour, instead of 1-1/3 cups of flour. I tried the latter, and I guess that’s why they didn’t rise. I don’t live at an elevated height, and I don’t know what went wrong…
I have a coffee/chocolate loving man in my life, and he loves when I bake for him, so these were absolute perfection. I managed to get 14 perfect cupcakes out of the recipe (I was debating between diving the remaining batter between the 12 or just making extra cupcakes, and I’m glad I went the extra cupcakes route because I’m sure the wells would have overflowed otherwise). I could feel how light they were when I lifted them out of the pan! My brother said they taste like Coffee Crisp (Canadian chocolate bar, for those that don’t know), and my sister was scooping the remaining frosting out of the bowl by the spatula-full. All in all, a great cupcake success. Thank you :)
For a friend’s engagement party, I doubled this recipe and baked it in a 9 inch spring foam pan.The top fell a bit but I suspect that’s because I opened the oven too early. My frosting had expresso granules in them (no idea why) but I liked the look of it with the icing. It made it a bit more interesting to look at as I did not decorate or design the cake. Lol. Overall, the combination of the cake and frosting…*sigh* (I am in coffee heave right now). Shame all I could get was a taste!!
I absolutely love the flavor of these but after four batches, checking and rechecking measurements, I have an oven thermometer and even being very careful not to over do the brown sugar I have only had one batch actually rise the rest were flat, should they be like this? If not any ideas how to solve this problem? Thank you.
Hi Kimberlie, I’m not sure if you can tell from the photos, but these cupcakes don’t rise extremely high. They will dome slightly, but they won’t get terribly high.
let me just say this recipe looks like it makes awesome frosting. I have a question though. I’m doing a culinary final at my school and I’d love to use your recipe. Instead of making my cupcakes all at once on that final day, I plan on making my cupcakes the day before and other parts of it days before. I heard buttercream can last for a while. Does your buttercream recipe last for AT LEAST 2-3 days? I heard that crisco lasts in the refrigerator compared to sugar. Please reply back Id be an honor. thanks!!!
Hi Ewi, You can make the buttercream ahead. You can refrigerate it for up to 3 days, but it will need to be re-whipped before you use it. You could also frost the cupcakes up to a day or so ahead of when you’ll serve them.
These were amazing. Always come out perfect and the frosting is to die for. Delicious!!!
Could we have the grams measuremets as well please?
Hi Zita, I do not calculate gram conversions for all of the recipes; if you wish to do so, you can use this guide (you’ll need to go from ounces to grams to get your final number): http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/master-weight-chart.html
I just made the Espresso Buttercream Frosting. Oh mah gawd, it soooooo good!
Oh, this may not be proper baking technique, but I warmed the vanilla in the microwave for a few seconds and dissolved an instant coffee mix instead. I still turned out magnificently!!!!!
Hi there! If I wanted to make this into a cake, there wouldn’t be any necessary changes, right? Also, If I wanted to make a layer cake with the mocha cake and just a plain coffee-flavored cake, would I be able to use this recipe and just take out the cocoa powder or would that affect the batter? Thank you for your help!
You will need to double the recipe to make a two-layer 8-inch or 9-inch round cake, or a 9×13 cake. You will need to adjust the baking time (all will take longer to bake than the cupcakes) based on the cake you decide to make. I would not just omit the cocoa powder for a coffee-flavored cake.
I just made a batch of these this afternoon after coming across them on Pinterest this week. Let me simply say . . . they are TO DIE FOR!!
Many thanks for sharing this recipe.
These look delicious and I shall attempt very soon. Quick question, when alternating flour and coffee mix are you folding ingredients or using beater on low speed to incorporate?
Hi Leanne, You should mix on low speed. Sorry for the lack of clarification on that step!
Great Cupcakes! My family really love it! <3
Now why did I have to think of coffee at this kind of moment? I just finished a vanilla cake from Sweetapolita and now I just want to bake this treat!
It’s is my second time baking this cupcake and both times it turned out AMAZING! I love your recipies and I will try to bake them all!!! Lol
I was wondering if what else can I substitute for the espresso powder? I heard I can brew black coffee but to cut it on half to substitute for the powder
You can use instant coffee as well. I’ve never substitute a liquid for the powder.
I just made the butter cream and it is wonderful! This recipe has got to be the best butter cream recipe I have ever tried! Thank you for sharing!!
I made these cupcakes, they came out nice and moist but weren’t sweet enough. Are they supposed to not be sweet? I’m only speaker about the cupcakes not the frosting.
thx
The cupcakes themselves should be a little sweet, but they lean more to the mocha flavor vs the chocolate, so they are not overly sweet.
I baked these yesterday and they were amazingly heavenly! I got so many compliments on them! All my friends thought they were super yummy and very pretty! I topped mine off with dark chocolate shavings and these dark chocolate covered toffeed expresso bits from Trader Joes. Thanks for the recipe, a straight up 7 stars out of 5!!!!
I just made these (and gave them out to friends today, who all loved them). They taste amazing and I ate all the leftover frosting… but the cake portion crumbled and fell apart, as other commenters have mentioned. The cake itself was very fluffy and moist (not at all dry). But eating the cupcake was very messy!
I just made these and they are super delicious. Very easy to make.
I just made these now for my parents aniversary, they totally loved it :)
I love these cupcakes, and have made them numerous times. but i substituted the flour for
½ cup almond flour ½ cup coconut flour 1/3 cup tapioca flour ½ teaspoon guar gum
and they came a little dyer then the original but just as tasty.
Cupcake review
The frosting was super super good and the cupcake were amazingly delicious. I could eat ten of these mocha cupcakes. Cupcakes made by scratch are way better then store made. The cupcakes on the website were cool which is why we wanted to make them, but we just slapped the frosting on the top. My friend wanted to just eat the bowl of frosting. Now that we made them at school, we want try to make them at home.
Hi, I can’t wait to try your recipe for an upcoming party. Just wondering, can I use the same recipe to make a cake?
Yes, just double it for a 9×13-inch pan or a two-layer 8 or 9-inch cake. Bake it at the same temperature, but it will likely need to bake longer, at least 22 minutes.
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I’ve made it at least a half a dozen times now, and It’s always a hit! I read in your replies that you would double the recipe for a cake, but would you do the same time and temperature as well? Thanks in advance for your reply!
Definitely keep the same temperature, but you will need to bake it for a little longer, I would start checking it around 22 minutes, just to be sure you don’t overbake it. It may take a little longer than that.
Thank you! These are the best cupcakes and the frosting is my very favorite, EVER!