Mocha Cupcakes

The past year or so has seen me develop a love for coffee. It will never replace tea as my favourite drink, but with university exams and countless assignments, coffee definitely helped me pass the year! So, what better to have a coffee flavoured cake accompany a cup of tea? I love a slice of coffee cake, but I think a mocha cupcake is just as good, if not better!

Ingredients 

For the cupcakes (makes 12 cupcakes)

100g softened butter

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

120g self-raising flour

4tsp instant coffee granules

4tsp cocoa powder

2tbsp boiling water

2tbsp hot milk

For the buttercream

150g softened butter

380g icing sugar, sifted

2tsp milk 

4tsp instant coffee granules

2tbsp boiling water

dark chocolate shavings (optional)

Method

Mocha cupcakes

1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC and line a cupcake tray with 12 cupcake cases.
2. In two separate mugs, mix the coffee and water together and the milk and cocoa powder together and leave to one side.
3. Cream together the butter and the sugar then add your eggs and mix together. 
4. Sift in the flour and mix well.
5. Finally, pour in the hot chocolate mix and the coffee and stir together until it is all combined.
6. Spoon the cake mixture into your cake cases and place into your preheated oven for 15 minutes. 

Coffee buttercream

As I'm back home from university I am lucky enough to be able to use my Mum's KitchenAid, but if you don't have a mixer, a mixing bowl and wooden spoon will work just fine :)

1. In a mug, make up the coffee with the granules and water, but make sure you leave it cool completely before adding it to your buttercream as if it is warm it will melt the butter.
2. Put the butter into the mixing bowl and beat until it has gone a bit paler and is nice and smooth. Add half of the icing sugar and mix, increasing the speed as you go along. 
3. Once it has come together, add the rest of the icing sugar and add the milk and continue mixing. 
4. Add in the cooled coffee and give it one final mix until it has turned a lovely caramel colour.
5. Spoon the buttercream onto your cooled cupcakes, sprinkle over the chocolate shavings and enjoy!
   Best served with a cup of tea or coffee!