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.
Are you able to make this in cake form
Hey, I want to make these for my wedding, but I want to check that 1 egg for the whole recipe is the correct quantity? It seems like very little so I thought I’d ask. Thanks!
Hi Nadia, Yes that’s correct! And congratulations!
this recipe is awesome
I love this recipe!! The icing is SO good that I could eat it by itself and the cupcake is so light. I’ve made these several times and they always turn out great. I do recommend adding mini chocolate chips if you’re a chocolate lover. Absolutely amazing recipe
These cupcakes are fantastic. Wow!
awesomesauce tasty
as a coffee lover this was a great recipe
Fantastic. I wish I could give 10 stars!
frosting is way too much butter!! Next time would use half the butter, and add extra espresso!
These cupcakes are so light and fluffy with huge rich chocolate flavor! They are a hit every time I make them.
I would like to turn this recipe into a 9″ 3-layer cake. How would you recommend adjusting it?
I thought they were a little too sweet so will reduce sugar in the next round. They rose nicely and are very light which I love.
I love these cupcakes! I’ve been making them since high school. Recently I’ve thought about how I can make the cake itself a touch sweeter. Could I add a little more sugar? I also am wondering what you think would happen if I tried it with Texas pecan flavored coffee?
Hey, I was wondering about the icing. Every time I make it, it’s just a little bit to sweet and there is not enough coffee favor. I’d their anything that I could add without watering it down. Because the two other times I have made them, I added more expresso powder and coffee.
Hey Lyrica!
I hate sweet icing so I usually grind/pulse the espresso powder and mix it into the icing.
Hey Lyrica!
I hate sweet icing so I usually grind/pulse the espresso powder and mix it into the icing.
I had the same experience with the frosting as well. It was extremely sweet and lacked coffee flavor even after grinding the espresso. Did you find a solution?
I make a similar recipe buthas twice the amount of espresso powder (instant of course) in the icing. So one tablespoon dissolved in two teaspoons boiling water. It also has vanilla, the butter/icing sugar ratios are similar, a bit less sugar (20 grams less by weight, which is a great way to measure in baking). Has great coffee flavour and doesn’t seem too sweet. Hope this helps!
Made this recipe and came out amazing and delicious! Had excellent comments! The taste of coffee was just on point!Thank you 🙏🏼
The best baked good recipe I have ever made. I make it for every holiday and birthday. I even turn it into cakes. It’s the most delicious thing you could ever make. It’s not too sweet but definitely not bitter. It has the perfect amount of coffee and chocolate flavor. I recommend to everyone!
Um, whoa. I’m not exaggerating when I say this is the best cupcake I have ever made. Beautiful texture, the frosting whipped up very light (I like a LOT less than the author, though), and the flavor? Oh! To die for!!! I can’t wait to make these for a party!
I saw the ingredients, and knew I HAD to make these – they are heavenly! Thank You so much for sharing your hard work, and great results! I can’t wait to try another recipe of yours!!!
Absolutely delicious! Easy to make, and the best buttercream I have ever made! Definitely a keeper. I am going to drizzle them with some caramel and sprinkle with sea salt to see how that tastes.
Hi – this is my all time favorite cupcake!!! LOVE THEM! One question, can I freeze them and if so, what’s the best way to do that? Need to make them ahead for a trip…
I’ve been looking at this recipe for awhile. Finally made them last night. They are delicious. Just the right amount of sweetness. The cake was very light and you will want to lick that frosting bowl clean. My batter made 12 not 16 cupcakes. These cupcakes are right up there with the Brown Eyed Baker rum cake. Both are perfect recipes.
These were absolutely delicious! Coworkers who aren’t coffee drinkers loved them as well.
Hello my name is Dalinda and I love to bake your mocha cupcakes I’ve a question I want to make these adorable cupcakes but my question is how can I get a brewed coffee or how can I do it would please help
You juSt make a cup of coffee like you normally would or buy a cup if your are not a coffee drinker. I was shocked how delicious these were.
These cupcakes are amazing! The cake is tender and moist and the buttercream frosting is so fluffy. Just the right amount of coffee flavor.
Very good fluffy light cupcakes easy quick recipe and ingredients you can find in your house also very pretty looking result
My go to cupcakes!
I have been using this recipe for about 10 years now. They are so great that I have had professional bakers compliment me on these. Thank you for ever creating and sharing this!
Definitely does not make 16. If you barely fill the liners to half then you can get 16 small cupcakes. 12 – 14 at most.
The recipe sounds great and I really wanna try it but can this recipe be reduced to half? If so then wht will be the quantity of all the ingredients. please help.
I have made the cupcake recipe 5 times in the past month because I am freezing the cupcakes for an event. It is a consistently good recipe. The cupcakes are both light i crumb as well as rich in flavor, and the levening is perfect. It makes about 14 every time. The cupcakes are a deep chocolate flavor and have a bit of that coffee kick for extra oomph without being overwhelmingly acidic. Thank you!
Can this recipe be used to make a full sized cake?