Chocolate Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream

Chocolate Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream is a decadent dessert of mocha cupcakes topped with a coffee flavored frosting. Skip your morning cafe run and that trip to the bakery. This rich, fudgy, chocolatey treat will remind you of the tastiest mocha latte you’ve ever had!

If you’re craving a delicious blend of coffee and chocolate, then I have your fix! Make my Triple Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Ganache Cake and Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream is a beautiful marriage of coffee and chocolate; two of my favorite indulgences. This recipe is a chocolate and coffee lover’s dream come true!

This recipe is a delicate balance of sweet cocoa and toasty espresso. What I love most is that neither flavor overpowers the other. It’s a perfect balance of espresso and chocolate!

These chocolate coffee cupcakes are super soft and moist. After just one bite, you’ll be in complete bliss. It will be hard to eat only one. Trust me!

Ingredient Notes

No one likes a dry, flavorless cupcake. Here are some reasons why I included certain ingredients in this recipe.

• Buttermilk: the acid in buttermilk gives the cupcakes a beautiful rise while enhancing the flavor.
• Espresso Powder: Enhances the flavor and actually enriches the chocolate. I also use this in my Black Velvet Cake recipe and Chocolate Pudding Cake Recipe to deepen the chocolatey richness. It work every time!
• Dutch Process Cocoa Powder: dutch processed cocoa is key to getting that smooth chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa powder can be a bit bitter while the dutch processed cocoa powder has an intense chocolatey flavor without being bitter and overpowering.
• Vegetable Oil and Butter: these fats give the cupcakes their fudgy texture.
• Eggs and Egg Yolk: the additional egg yolk make these cupcakes beautiful rich and soft!

How to make Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine all purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together until combined, set aside.
• In a separate small bowl, combine cocoa powder, hot milk, and espresso powder. Whisk together and set aside.
• Combine sugar, vegetable oil, melted butter, eggs and egg yolk, vanilla extract, vinegar, and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until combined. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and then pour in the black cocoa mixture. Add the remainder of the flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until just combined.
• Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and fill each liner about ⅔ with the cupcake batter. Back for 20-25 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack.
• To make the buttercream, add room temperature butter to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
• Slowly begin to add milk, then add pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and espresso powder. 
• Add buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip OR use a spoon to add the buttercream on top of the cooled cupcakes.

Tips for making chocolate cupcakes

• Measure the flour correctly for exact portions because this ensures the cupcakes are the proper consistency. Here’s a step by step tutorial on how to properly measure flour!
• These cupcakes are akin to a brownie as far as texture is concerned. They’re a bit fudgy and require cooling time. If you like a fudgier texture, bake these cupcakes for 22 minutes. If you prefer a cakey texture, bake for 25 minutes!
• All ingredients should be at room temperature before being mixed. Otherwise the cupcakes will not be the same temperature in the oven which could lead to uneven baking times.
• If you’re concerned about caffeine intake, use caffeine-free instant coffee instead of espresso powder.
• For a smooth buttercream, the butter has to be room temperature. If not, the frosting will not whip properly, leaving you with chunks of butter in the frosting.
• Once the cupcakes are done, take them out of the pan and place onto a cooling rack. If left in the pan after baking, they will continue to bake and could dry out.
• To prevent the cupcakes from sinking, do not open the oven door while baking!

MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE!

• Mocha Rugelach
• Nutella Cupcakes with Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting
• Strawberries and Cream Chocolate Cake
• Black Velvet Cupcakes
• No-Bake Tiramisu Cheesecake
• Oreo Peanut Butter Pie
• Snickerdoodle Cheesecake with Cookie Whipped Cream