Ingredients
- Coffee Cupcakes:
- 2 1/2 (313g) cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 (180ml) cup strongly brewed coffee, cooled to warm
- 1/4 (60ml) cup milk
- 1 tbsp Kahlua
- 12 tbsp (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 rounded tsp instant espresso
- Cacao nibs, for sprinkling
- Whipped Cream Topping:
- 200g (around 1 cup) whipping cream
- 3 tbsp (40g) sugar
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tsp Kahlua (Optional. Don't put too much, or the cream will be too soft for piping)
- Caramel Sauce:
- (this makes more than needed, use remaining as an ice-cream topper or a mix-in for coffee)
- 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
- 3 tbsp (43g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4 tbsp (60g) heavy cream
Directions
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Make Coffee Cupcakes:
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Place rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 F/175 C.Place paper liners in muffin tin.
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Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Combine coffee, milk, and Kahlua in a cup and set aside.
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Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer (with the paddle attachment) or large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat eggs in one at a time.
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Reduce speed to low and beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the liquid mixture. Scrape down sides, then beat in another third of flour mixture, then the rest of the liquid, then the remaining flour mixture. Mix in the instant espresso.
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Fill cupcake liners until 3/4 full. Sprinkle on some cacao nibs if using.
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Bake for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before removing them to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
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Make Caramel Sauce:
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Warm the cream up in a small microwaveable bowl in the microwave. Set aside.
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Spread sugar evenly across the bottom of a heavy bottomed saucepan and put over medium-high flame. Try not to touch the sugar but watch carefully as it melts.
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As soon as it is browning, you can start to stir. When it looks like all of it has browned lightly, remove the pot from heat and stir in butter. Be careful because it will bubble up.
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Bring it back to the flame and stir for a few seconds until smooth. Remove from the heat again and add the warmed heavy cream, again careful of violent bubbling. Stir rapidly until smooth. Set aside and allow to cool to lukewarm.
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Make Whipped Cream Topping and Assemble:
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(Do not make this until the cupcakes are thoroughly cooled)
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Whip the cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Add in vanilla and Kahlua and whip until medium peaks form.
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Transfer to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe on top of each cupcake.
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Drizzle the cool caramel sauce over the cupcakes with a spoon, or for a neater pattern, transfer to a squeeze bottle and pipe over. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to one day.