Mocha Cupcakes

4.94 from 16 ratings

These mocha cupcakes are moist, decadent and packed with coffee flavor. They come together in a flash are will be gone before you know it!

Prep Time10

Cook Time19

Additional Time45

Total Time1 14

Course: Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 560kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Mocha Cupcakes

3/4 cup whole milk 180g
1/3 cup milk or dark chocolate chips, melted 60g
1 Tbsp instant espresso or coffee 6g
3/4 cup all purpose flour 98g
3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 30g
1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 70g
1 tsp white vinegar 4g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g

Espresso Ganache Filling & Drizzle

1/2 cup dark chocolate 90g
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 80g
2 tsp instant espresso or coffee 4g

Espresso Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
2 tsp instant espresso or coffee 4g
1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar 190g
1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 15g

Optional Decorations

12 chocolate covered espresso beans
1 small chocolate bar to make chocolate shavings

Instructions

Mocha Cupcake Recipe

Begin by preheating oven to 350°F / 175°C. Place 12 cupcake liners in cupcake pan.
Add 3/4 cup milk, 1/3 cup chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp instant espresso powder into a heat proof bowl. Heat in the microwave at power level 8 for 1 minute or over a double boiler until the chocolate has melted.
Whisk together until the ingredients are combined. Make sure all the chocolate is melted.
Sift 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt into chocolate espresso mixture and stir until combined.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a spatula.
Add 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vinegar and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix just until the batter is smooth.
Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Espresso Ganache Filling & Drizzle

Next, make the espresso ganache! Place 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
Stir together 1/3 cup of heavy cream and 2 tsp of instant espresso in a heatproof bowl. Heat in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until it's gently bubbling.
If you don’t have a microwave or prefer to use the stove top, you can heat the espresso cream over a medium heat in a pan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
Carefully pour the espresso cream over the chocolate chips. Make sure they are fully covered with cream. Let mixture sit for 1-2 minutes.
Stir the mixture until the cream and chocolate are fully combined and ganache is silky smooth.
Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes (or place in fridge for about 10 minutes) until the mixture has thickened and is scoopable.

Espresso Buttercream

While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the espresso buttercream. Beat 1/2 cup of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a hand mixer until smooth.
In a small container, mix together 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 tsp of instant espresso until the instant espresso is fully dissolved.
Add the vanilla espresso mixture and 1/4 tsp of salt into the butter. Mix on a low speed until combined.
Slowly mix in 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp of heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as need with a rubber spatula.
Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add in another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. To know if your frosting is the right consistency, check out my post on buttercream consistency.
Stir by hand with a rubber spatula to get the frosting SUPER smooth. Place into a large piping bag fit with an Ateco 869 or large French piping tip.

Decorating These Mocha Cupcakes

Use a small knife or 1 inch circle cutter to remove the center from each cooled cupcake.
Fill each cupcake with a small spoonful of espresso ganache.
Pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake with the espresso buttercream using an Ateco 869 or large french piping tip. Chill the cupcakes in the fridge for 10 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes to help the frosting firm up.
While the cupcakes chill, heat up the remaining ganache in 10 second intervals until it is thinner and fluid enough to be drizzled.
Remove the cupcakes from the fridge or freezer and drizzle them with the warm ganache.
If desired, top with a chocolate covered espresso bean and some chocolate shavings and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Making Mini Mocha Cupcakes

If you want to make mini mocha cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they only need to bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

Tips for Making the Best Mocha Cupcakes

Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Once you add the flour, mix your cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure your cupcakes end up being the same height.
Bang your cupcake pan on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
Seal off the top of your piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bags easier to use.

Mocha Cupcake Variations

To make gluten free mocha cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for, and be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Making These Mocha Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips

You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a few hours or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container. However, they taste best when they're freshly baked!

These cupcakes can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to fill and frost them until they're thawed.

You can also make your buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. The buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

You can also store buttercream in piping bags in the fridge. I find they keep their consistency well in piping bags and don't require any mixing after they've thawed.

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