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Easy Mocha Coffee Cupcakes Recipe with Coffee-Chocolate Buttercream

Easy Mocha Coffee Cupcakes Recipe

Tender chocolate cupcakes made with hot coffee and buttermilk, finished with a creamy coffee-chocolate buttercream. This recipe yields 12 standard cupcakes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cupcakes
  • 1 1/3 cups (170 g) All-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) Granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (43 g) Unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Fine salt
  • 2 large Large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) Hot strong brewed coffee
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) Neutral vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Mocha Buttercream
  • 1/2 cup (113 g) Unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (240 g) Confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup (21 g) Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons Strong coffee or espresso, cooled
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch Salt

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the room-temperature eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
  5. Slowly stir in the hot coffee. The batter will be fairly thin, which is normal and helps create moist cupcakes.
  6. Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
  7. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for about 5 minutes, then move them to a rack and cool completely.
  9. For the buttercream, beat the softened butter until smooth, then gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder.
  10. Beat in the cooled coffee, vanilla, and salt. Add a little more coffee for softer frosting or more confectioners’ sugar if the frosting is too loose.
  11. Frost the completely cooled cupcakes and serve.

Notes

Use hot coffee to bloom the cocoa powder and deepen the chocolate flavor. Do not overmix after adding the flour. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting so the buttercream does not soften and slide.