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SUSAN PARRISH - FOUNDER

Hello, I'm Susan! Welcome to Suz Bakes.


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| August 29, 2016


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chocolate espresso cupcakes.

I have made these cupcakes so many times.  I found the original recipe at The Novice Chef Blog, tweaked a few things, and immediately discovered a new favorite. Everyone loves these! In college, I would always make extra buttercream to keep on hand for an indulgent midnight snack. There's no shame in a spoonful of sugar before bed, right?

The original cupcake recipe was a bit too bold on the espresso for me, so I cut back a bit to allow more of the chocolate flavor to shine through. I know that many people like to enjoy a cupcake and its frosting separately, so I wanted both to be equally delicious on their own.

I love this recipe because it's halved - you only need one cupcake pan, and you don't have a dozen extra cupcakes laying around... making you feel very, very guilty. If you don't have a proper occasion to gift them, you obviously need to store them yourself. Unless you freeze them (always freeze your cupcakes and cakes - never refrigerate them!), they need to be eaten lickity-split. If you don't eat all 24 in a few days like a little piggy, they go to waste. Guilty, guilty.

So yes. 12 cupcakes do quite nicely.


I've garnished these in multiple ways, from topping them with hardened chocolate swirls to coffee beans, to chocolate chips, and now simply cocoa powder. These would be perfect with a bit of chocolate ganache... or maybe even caramel. Oh, gosh.

I need to make these again.

The cupcakes are on the denser side of light, but not terribly so. They have a nice spring to them and and a solid chocolate flavor. The espresso in the batter is very subtle, and serves primarily to enhance the chocolate. I'd guess that used alone without the espresso frosting, the average individual wouldn't be able to detect a coffee-taste.

The key to making these is letting the melted chocolate cool somewhat so that it doesn't melt all the butter, and taking care to dissolve the espresso before mixing it into the batter. I used Folgers instant coffee crystals, making this step even more important - you really don't want pockets of coffee flavor in your cupcakes. Let them dissolve so the flavor is evenly disbursed.


As for the buttercream - beat the butter, and beat it again (aka the full three minutes - no cheating). You'll notice that the butter becomes lighter in color as it is beaten - evidence of the air that you are incorporating. This allows for a lighter, fluffier frosting as opposed to a creamier, more heavy buttercream. Either way, it tastes delicious - but texture is always important!

Last but not least, happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there! These were made especially for my dear old Dad for dinner tonight. :) Until next time!




Choclate Espresso Cupcakes

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
2 large eggs
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, dissolved in 2 tablespoons milk

Espresso Buttercream

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 - 2½ cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together butter, sugar, and melted chocolate. Add in eggs, one at a time. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, alternating with milk-espresso mixture.

2. Once smooth, divide batter into a lined muffin tin. Bake 14-18 minutes, cool on wire rack. Remove from the oven, transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack, and allow to cool to room temperature before frosting.

3. For buttercream frosting, beat butter on high for 3 minutes. Slowly add in 2 cups of powdered sugar (½ cup at a time). Add vanilla extract and water-espresso mixture. For thicker, more stable buttercream, add in remaining ½ cup of powdered sugar. Frost cupcakes once completely cooled.

Adapted from: The Novice Chef

18 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you! They smell wonderful, too. :) I'm snacking on one this very moment - they're seriously the perfect pick-me-up snack.

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  2. These look phenomenal! I am pretty sure I could eat that espresso buttercream on everything! :) And beautiful photos!

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    1. You are so kind - thank you! I'm pretty sure you could spread this buttercream on everything, too.:) I tried it on brownie cookies once and they were gone in an instant... I'd imagine it would spice up a brownie recipe like none other!

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  3. These are gorgeous! Adding them to my "To Do" list!

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    1. Thank you, Kelly! Let me know how they turn out for you!

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  4. Replies
    1. They definitely are! Even if you don't have time to make the cupcakes from scratch, the buttercream is amazing on top of a box-mix chocolate cupcake, too. Yes, I've tried it - shhh! :)

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  5. Beautiful pictures! I think espresso really enhances chocolate flavor - I've been adding it to my chocolate brownies and chocolate ice cream as of late.

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    1. I never thought of adding it to ice cream! That's so smart. It's amazing what a bit of espresso or coffee can do for chocolatey desserts.

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  6. I've featured these cupcakes on my blog, hoping that you don't mind, but if you do, please contact me and I'll remove it. All the best.

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    1. Definitely! As long as you provide a link back, I don't mind at all. I'm glad you like them!

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  7. i love your blog and pictures!! thanks for finding me so that I can find you!!

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    1. Thank you, thank you!! I adore your blog - it's so much fun to ooh and ahh at pretty pictures and yours are RIGHT up there! Looking forward to more!

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  8. This cupcake looks so so delicious

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    1. Thank you! I hope you're able to give the buttercream a try - it's amazing! Thanks for visiting. :)

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  9. If I have to store these for 24-48 hours, can I do so in a tupperware at room temperature or in the fridge?

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    1. It sounds counterintuitive, but freezing actually will give you the best results! If you have thin Tupperware, wrap it with foil to keep out smells. They take only an hour or two to thaw, and they'll be just as good as when you first decorated them.

      If you don't have room in your freezer, leave them at room temperature in the container. His is a more sensitive buttercream, so it won't hold up well in a sealed container (the cupcakes will get soggy and the buttercream may "droop"). If you can, wait to frost them until the day you serve them! Putting cupcakes in a fridge will dry them out, so that's always my last resort! If you absolutely must use the fridge, leave them in the sealed container when you set them out to bring them to room temperature. It should help a little with the dryness. It won't be perfect, but it works in a pinch!

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