Vanilla Latte Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream

 

My love of sweets and coffee come together in this delicious cupcake. Actually, I should say my love of latte's, especially since they are a vanilla latte cupcake. The coffee flavor was subtle, like in a latte. The frosting was just about perfect, it was not too sweet and also had that subtle coffee favor. 

The original recipe said it made 12 cupcakes, but I ended up with 16-18. I was making them for a work pot luck and I doubled the recipe and ended up with an odd number of cupcakes, so I can not exactly tell you how many a single batch would make. I used 2 slightly heaping tablespoons to fill the muffins tins and they were just a bit more than 1/2 full. I was a bit surprised how many more cupcakes I got out of the batter compared to the original, usually it is the same or just a few different, like 1 or 2. But I did not complain one bit. A few extra of these delicious cupcakes just meant I could save a few more for my family to enjoy.

Vanilla Latte Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup half and half

Buttercream

• 2 1/4 teaspoons strong brewed coffee
• 2 1/4 teaspoons espresso powder
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 3/4 cups confectioners sugar

Garnish

• chocolate covered coffee beans

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line cupcake tins with liners.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in the vanilla and beat the mixture again, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and espresso powder.
4. In a glass measuring cup stir together the brewed coffee and half and half.
5. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and beat on low until combined. Add in half of the coffee and milk mixture, beating again. Repeat again and then add in the remaining flour and beat just until combine.
6. Fill the muffin cups with 2 slightly heaping tablespoons of batter, about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until and inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cook in the muffin tins on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from tins and allow to cool completely on the cooling racks.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the brewed coffee and espresso powder.
8. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and confectioner's sugar on low, until well combined. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add in coffee espresso mixture and beat on medium speed until well blended.
9. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your preferred tip and pie the frosting onto the completely cooled cupcakes. Garnish each cupcake with a chocolate covered espresso bean.

Enjoy!!!

Yields: 12-18

*Adapted from Sheri Silver.