Monday Morning Pick Me Ups

I definitely found a new personal fave this past Monday!  These glorious concoctions are any coffee lover's dream dessert.  If I could eat one (or two) of these in the morning instead of drinking coffee and NOT put on ten pounds a week, there would be no hesitation here.  The cake portion is moist & the icing literally melts in your mouth.  The coffee flavor is definitely present (mostly in the icing) without being overwhelming.  These are absolute heaven to me.  The recipe can be found here - along with other recipes and tips - but I've also included it below for easier reading.  And a special shout out goes to my dad for helping me locate the elusive "espresso powder"...I was searching high and low for some fancy powder, but it turns out it's just instant espresso grounds.   I used the brand shown above and it worked fabulously.  Word from the wise, store the opened container in the freezer if you don't plan on using it often.

Mocha Cupcakes & Espresso Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 12 cupcakes

1-1/3 all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup whole milk
½ cup strong brewed coffee
1½ teaspoons espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature

1. Mix the espresso powder into the brewed coffee until dissolved; set aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners.

3. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Beat the butter and both sugars together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a measuring cup, combine the milk, brewed coffee mixture and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee mixture, ending with the flour mixture.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 liners. Baking for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting cupcakes.

Frosting (makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes):

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons espresso powder

1. Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved; set aside.

2. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar a little at a time, waiting until it is mostly incorporated before adding more. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, scrape the sides of the bowl and increase the speed to medium-high and whip until fluffy, about a minute or two. Add the espresso and vanilla mixture and continue to mix at medium-high until it is completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary.

*Personal tip - serve these chilled.  I stored them in the fridge overnight and they softened a little on my way into work (which was over an hour that AM so these were a much deserved treat!).  The slightly chilled temperature was a perfect finishing touch.  :)