Cupcakes with a rich chocolate flavor and a coffee and peppermint undertone. They taste great with a white chocolate or vanilla buttercream, but I prefer them simply frosted with whipped cream made from heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
| Prep Time: | 25 mins |
| Cook Time: | 15 mins |
| Additional Time: | 5 mins |
| Total Time: | 45 mins |
| Servings: | 24 |
| Yield: | 24 cupcakes |
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ cup strongly brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips (such as Ghiradelli® 60% Cacao)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners.
- Mix espresso powder and hot water in a measuring cup until powder is dissolved. Set aside.
- Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl until well combined.
- Cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until thoroughly combined. Mix in espresso mixture, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Mix in cooled coffee until just combined. Stir in another 1/3 of the dry ingredients until just combined. Mix in buttermilk until just combined. Stir in remaining dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Spoon batter into the prepared cups, filling each line just over 1/2 full.
- Bake in the preheated oven until cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool a few minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make sure not to overfill your cupcakes liners, as these cupcakes rise substantially while baking.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 103 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 15 g |
| Cholesterol | 16 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Sodium | 153 mg |
| Sugars | 9 g |
| Fat | 5 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |