The Best Pick-Me-Up - Coffee Drenched Cupcakes

There are a few things I love that are what they call “acquired tastes.”

I had my first “coffee” drink in college – a white chocolate mocha from Starbucks. While still insanely deliciously, that’s definitely not real coffee. Over the years I’ve come to love and appreciate this beverage. While I’m a vanilla latte fan and still take some cream and sugar in my coffee, I’ve grown up a little in my taste.

However I think almost everything is better in CUPCAKE form. These cupcakes are moist with a hint of chocolate. They’re drenched with bold, strong coffee and topped with a delicious buttercream. And I’m a personal fan of the crunch of coffee bean for garnish too.

These cupcakes won over some huge fans at my office. And hey they’re coffee – - so you can have them for breakfast right?

Coffee Drenched Cupcakes w/ Mocha Buttercream Frosting

Cupcakes adapted from and frosting from Cupcakes! From the Cake Mix Doctor

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1 chocolate fudge pudding mix
• roughly 1 cup of coffee, divided
• 1/2 c. greek yogurt
• 1/4 c. half and half or milk
• 3/4 c. vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 T. vanilla
• 1-2 T. instant coffee (to taste)
• 3 oz. roughly chopped baking chocolate bar (or chopped chocolate chips. I used Ghirardelli 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cupcake pans with 24 liners. Set aside.
2. Mix yellow cake mix, pudding mix, 1/3 c. coffee, greek yogurt, milk and vegetable oil together with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer. Add in 4 large eggs and mix well.
3. Mix or beat on medium high for about 2 minutes or until ingredients are well incorporated and fluffy.
4. Stir in vanilla, instant coffee and chopped chocolate.
5. Use 1/4 c. measuring cup and scoop out batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
6. When cupcakes are done, let cool for about 5 minutes. Put foil underneath a wire rack and put cupcakes on top. Use remaining coffee and brush on top generously.
7. Let cool and prepare frosting.

Mocha Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• 3/8 c. milk
• 1 1/2 heaping t. instant coffee
• 12 T. (1 1/2 sticks) of softened butter
• 3 oz chocolate
• 5 1/4 c. – 5 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 T. milk (optional – only if needed)
• coffee beans (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Heat milk and instant coffee in microwave for about 30-45 seconds.
2. Put butter and chocolate in a large bowl. Pour coffee over top and beat for a few minutes until thoroughly combined.
3. Sift in powdered sugar little by little, mixing after each time. Once mixed, beat for minutes until frosting comes well together.
4. Spread or pipe onto frosting and garnish with a coffee bean.

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