Starting new traditions
Out with the old
The hard part about moving to a new town or state is that places that used to be your place are no more and the traditions you made around those places or people have to adapt with the time.
One of our traditions was on our anniversary I would try to buy a small version of our wedding cake. It was fabulous! An rich chocolate cake with a chocolate-espresso buttercream and espresso ganache, made by the wonderful Natty Cakes (If you’re in the Bay Area I highly recommend her!), but with our move to Washington we’ve had to change some of our go-to’s.
In with the new
This year we decided to try and make our own cake! We found two recipes that we liked and merged the two to make a Mocha (Cup)Cake with Espresso Buttercream Frosting. I know I said the cake I was loosely trying to recreate had ganache, but I’ve never successfully made a ganache, so I just stuck with what I know. In the end I doubled the recipe making about 16 cupcakes and one two-tier 4-inch cake with a candle and everything.
The part of baking that I have been enjoying most is finding ways to involve my eldest, who is almost 2 years old. We recently got him a learning tower, so whenever where in the kitchen we find little ways to get him involved in the process. For these cupcakes it was (1) helping to sift the dry ingredients and (2) adding scoops of powdered sugar to the blender for the icing.
I will say that hardest part was trying to keep those little fingers out of the stand mixer! But the batter is toddler approved and he helped to clean the bowl of what was left for the icing.
Coffee Cupcake with Espresso Buttercream
Equipment
- Cupcake pan
- Cupcake liners
- Mixer
- Piping bag
Materials
Cupcake
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream room temperature
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 oz fl hot coffee or water
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Buttercream
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tablespoons vanilla paste or extract
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso or instant coffee
- 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- chocolate covered coffee beans optional
Instructions
Cupcake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180℃ and line a standard cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
- Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.¾ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup sugar, ⅓ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, sour cream, vegetable oil, and vanilla with a whisk until combined.1 large egg room temperature, ⅓ cup sour cream room temperature, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add the hot coffee and carefully stir to combine and mini chocolate chips.6 oz fl hot coffee or water, ½ cup mini chocolate chips
- Fill each cupcake liner ⅔ full, and bake for 15-20 minutes. The top of the cupcake will spring back when touched. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow them to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then use an offset spatula to remove them from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Buttercream
- Cream the butter for 6 minutes in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer.½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined, then beat for 3 more minutes.2 cup powdered sugar
- Combine the espresso powder with water, you want a think but runny consistency, slightly past a liquid paste. Add it to the creamed butter and powdered sugar, along with the vanilla and mix to combine.1 tablespoon instant espresso or instant coffee, ½ tablespoons vanilla paste or extract
- Add the milk or heavy cream and mix on medium speed for another minute.2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag and add to the tops of the cooled cupcakes. Top each cupcake with chocolate covered coffee bean.
