Espresso Chocolate Cupcakes
Cupcake recipe adapted by Ina Garten; Frosting recipe adapted by Call Me Cupcake
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 18 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1+1/3 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 c hottest tap water
- 1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 1/3 cup half-and-half
- 100 g dark chocolate, 3.5 oz
- 150 g unsalted butter, 5 oz., softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Beat the sugar and unsalted butter until smooth and fluffy - about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and eggs, and mix again until combined.
- 2
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and whisk the mixture to blend everything together.
- 3
In a separate bowl, add the hot tap water, cocoa powder, and instant espresso powder. Mix everything until the powders have dissolved. Pour this into the batter and mix.
- 4
Finally, mix in the half and half, then distribute the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each liner 2/3 full.
- 5
Bake the cupcakes for approximately 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out relatively clean (with just a few crumbs). Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- 6
Melt the chocolate for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir the chocolate to get it completely smooth. Transfer this chocolate to another bowl so that it cools faster.
- 7
In the meanwhile, beat the unsalted butter with the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and espresso powder.
- 8
Add in the cooled melted chocolate. Mix to combine. Refrigerate the frosting to so that it can stiffen up just a bit before applying to the cupcakes.