Coffee lovers, this cupcake is for you! It's a chocolate mocha cupcake frosted with caramel buttercream frosting. Topped of course, with an extra drizzle of caramel sauce.
Ingredients
Mocha Cupcakes
1½tbspespresso powder or instant coffee
2½tbspcocoa powder
3tbsphot water or coffee
6tbspunsalted butter, softened
⅔cupgranulated sugar
2tbsplight brown sugar
2tbspvegetable oil
2large eggs, at room temperature
1tspvanilla extract
¾cupbuttermilk
1¼cupall-purpose flour
1¼tspbaking powder
½tspkosher salt
2tbspcaramel sauce
Caramel Frosting
½cupunsalted butter, softened
2¼cupspowdered sugar
1tbspheavy whipping cream , or whole milk
2tbspcaramel sauce
¼tspkosher salt
Instructions
Mocha Cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line 14 cupcake tins with liners.
In a small bowl, stir the cocoa powder and espresso powder together. Pour the hot water or coffee over and stir until powders are dissolved. Set this aside for now.
In an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars together on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is fully combined. Then drizzle in the oil and continue to beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is very creamy.
Warm the buttermilk for 12 seconds in the microwave to bring it to room temperature, then stir in the cocoa mixture and vanilla. While running your mixer on low, begin drizzling this mixture into the bowl, beating until it is fully combined.
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, and then gently fold it into the wet ingredients until just combined. Lastly, stir in the caramel sauce.
Divide the batter between the cupcake liners, filling to ¾ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until cupcakes are set. Let them cool completely before frosting. C
Caramel Frosting
In the bowl of your mixer, combine the butter, salt, and powdered sugar. Starting on low and then gradually increasing the speed, being beating the two together.
Add the caramel sauce and heavy cream. Continue beating the frosting for 3-4 minutes on medium-high speed, until it's light and fluffy. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
Frost the cooled cupcakes with a knife or using a bag and your favorite tip. Enjoy!
Notes
For cupcakes with big, heaping piles of frosting, double the frosting recipe.