Frosted Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

Mocha desserts are hit or miss around here, but these easy Frosted Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes were a home run! Just a touch of coffee in the cupcakes and frosting intensified the chocolate flavor without screaming coffee.

Frosted Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

The hubby, unlike his wife and oldest child, does not like coffee nor coffee-flavored anything. So I have to be judicious about how I add it to my chocolate desserts. Although the aroma of coffee was obvious when around these mocha cupcakes, the hubby did not balk and ate his fair share!

There’s a fine balance between just enough coffee flavor to enhance the chocolate in a dessert and too much where you start to think they are coffee, not chocolate cupcakes! Said oldest child was over for dinner and he was willing to sample and offer his critique. We both could detect a coffee aroma, but not a coffee flavor. That made for an intensified chocolate flavor without any overt evidence that could scare away the coffee avoiders.

Mocha Cupcakes for Progressive Eats

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Each recipe in our menu this month features coffee in some form: espresso granules, coffee grounds, brewed coffee, coffee extract, etc. Our host this month is Coleen from The Redhead Baker.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.

Coffee Recipes:

Appetizers

• BBQ Chicken Tamale Corn Pancakes with Coffee BBQ Sauce from The Heritage Cook

Drinks

• White Chocolate Espresso Martini from SpiceRoots

Bread

• Espresso Coffee Cake with Dates, Walnuts and Espresso Glaze from Creative Culinary

Main Course

• Coffee-Rubbed Flank Steak from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

Side Dishes

• Crusty Cheesy Coffee Potato Cups from Mother Would Know

Desserts

• White Chocolate Mocha Layer Cake from The Redhead Baker
• Frosted Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

More Mocha Recipes You’ll Love:

• No-Bake Mocha Mint Cheesecake Parfaits from Inside BruCrew Life
• Mocha Cheesecake with Chocolate Chips from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Whipped Mocha Tart from Pint Sized Baker
• Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookie Icebox Cake from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Double Chocolate Mocha Cookies from What’s Gabby Cooking

Used in This Recipe:

• Muffin Tin
• Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

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The Recipe:

Frosted Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Yield 12

These easy Frosted Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes were a home run! Just a touch of coffee in the cupcakes and frosting intensified the chocolate flavor without screaming coffee.

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup cold coffee
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
• 1 tablespoon vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Mocha Frosting:

• 1 12 cups (3 sticks butter), at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee, dissolve in about 2 teaspoons hot water
• 12 chocolate covered espresso beans, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, coffee, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients; mix well.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool. Frost when cooled to room temperature.

To make frosting, in your stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar until it is creamy.

Add  the cocoa powder, vanilla  and coffee. Beat for 2 minutes until fluffy. Pipe onto cupcakes. Top each cupcakewith a chocolate covered espresso bean if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 558Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 216mgCarbohydrates: 83gFiber: 4gSugar: 61gProtein: 6g

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