The coffee cupcakes are soft, aromatic little cakes, perfect for a sweet break or to accompany afternoon tea. The delicate coffee flavor of the muffins pairs nicely with a creamy frosting made from mascarpone, cream and coffee. With a few small tricks, these treats can look beautiful and taste great — just like the ones from pastry shops — but homemade and stress-free. To intensify the flavor, you can make a simple coffee soak and moisten them before decorating with the mascarpone cream, without making them too soggy. If you prefer, you can substitute the instant coffee with a short espresso. Letting them rest in the refrigerator before serving makes the cupcakes even softer and they keep well for a couple of days. Below, let’s see what you need to prepare our delicious coffee cupcakes:
Other coffee desserts:
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 12Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
Ingredients
- 1 3/8 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 1/3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup coffee-flavored yogurt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 1/4 cups mascarpone
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (for whipping)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp instant coffee
- to taste unsweetened cocoa powder
Steps
Start by mixing in a bowl the sifted flour with the baking powder, brown sugar, a pinch of salt and the instant coffee. Add the egg, the coffee-flavored yogurt, the vanilla extract and the vegetable oil, and combine everything until you get a smooth, homogeneous batter — do not overmix.
Finally, if you like, fold in the chocolate chips. Divide the batter into the paper cups, filling them only up to 3/4. Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for about 20 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick: it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but not wet.
Remove from the oven, let cool completely and meanwhile prepare the frosting. Whip the cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, then gently fold in the mascarpone and the instant coffee dissolved in very little water.
Transfer the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and decorate the cupcakes. If necessary, remove a little of the crown to obtain a flat surface. If you prefer, lightly brush the cakes with a little coffee before decorating them with the mascarpone cream.
Finish, if desired, with a few chocolate-covered coffee beans and dust with unsweetened cocoa powder only at the moment of serving.
Enjoy and… see you at the next recipe!
If you try this recipe, be sure to tag #ipasticcinidinina on Instagram so I can see it and share it with the community.
