DOUBLE COFFEE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Strong coffee flavour and a hint of chocolate make this a great dessert. The coffee syrup makes them slightly sticky, and soft, and the buttercream keeps them moist and fresh for longer. The buttercream is light and airy, very smooth, with almost a whipped consistency. There is plenty of frosting, so you can pipe a very nice swirl on top of each cupcake. This type of cupcakes is a great brunch alternative, especially if you’re on the go. Coffee and snack in one.

Ingredients
For the cupcakes
100 grams granulated sugar
100 ml cold water
1 tablespoon ground coffee
1 egg
120 ml whole milk
50 ml piping hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla
200 grams plain flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
For the coffee buttercream
100 grams butter, softened
200 grams icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 teaspoons cold water

Preparation

Take a medium saucepan and place in the sugar and the coffee, then mix it with a spatula and shake the pan to make an even layer. Pour over the cold water and swirl the pan, but do not stir. Place the saucepan over high heat and bring the mixture to rolling boil, without stirring. Even if it looks lumpy, do not stir it, the lumps of coffee will dissolve as it starts to boil. Let it boil for 2 minutes, then remove it from the heat and let it cool down slightly.

Take a large bowl and whisk together the milk, vanilla and the egg, then slowly drizzle in the cooked sugar and coffee syrup. Whisk constantly as you pour it in, so you don't cook the egg. Finally, sift in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and whisk until just combined. Add the hot water and whisk briefly. If you overmix, the muffins will be tough. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with 6 paper liners, evenly fill each cup with the muffin batter and bake them, in a preheated oven, at 180˚C (350˚F) for 10-15 minutes. Let them cool completely before frosting.

Place the instant coffee granules into a small bowl, add the cold water and mix thoroughly until smooth. Place the butter in a large bowl, and beat it with an electric mixer on high, for about 2 minutes. It should become completely creamy and slightly lighter in colour. Sift in half of the icing sugar, add the coffee syrup, and blend on high for 2 minutes more. When it becomes creamy, add in the rest of the sifted icing sugars, beating for at least 2 minutes more.The buttercream will be airy and smooth, with a whipped consistency. Take each of the cupcakes, pipe on a generous frosting swirl, and serve. Yields 6 standard cupcakes.