Espresso Cupcakes with Buttercream

A vintage Golden coffee set, snapped up for a bargain at Mitchell Road Auction Centre in Alexandria, accompanies two shots of espresso cupcakes with buttercream.

Notes

This Friday night is the first official game of the Hawthorn Hawks for the 2012 AFL season. Why do I know this you ask? Well, let’s just say I’ve had it drilled into me by the hubby.

In honour of this important night and to show my support and the fact that yes, I do listen when talk turns to sport, I have used the team colours to create the illustration for these espresso cupcakes. The perfect pick me-up-treat for hungry footy fans at half time!

Carn Hawks!

Ingredients – makes 12 regular cupcakes

100g softened butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed, brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup self-raising flour
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp espresso powder
1/3 cup milk

Ingredients – buttercream icing

150g softened butter
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp espresso powder
2 tbsp boiling water
1 tbsp milk
coffee beans to decorate

Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 12 hole muffin tin with patty papers. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars until thick and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. In a small jug mix the espresso powder, vanilla and milk to combine then set aside. Sift the self-raising flour into the butter mixture and stir to combine. Add the milk mixture then sift and stir in the plain flour. Beat all ingredients together until well combine.

Spoon the mixture into your prepared tin, filling each patty paper approximately two-thirds full. Bake for 20-25min until cupcakes are risen and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before icing.

To make the buttercream icing, dissolve the espresso powder in the boiling water and set aside. In a large bowl beat the butter, milk and espresso mixture then gradually add the sugar beating constantly until all sugar is used and mixture in thick, pale and creamy.

Having allowed cupcakes to cool completely, dollop a generous amount of icing on top then using a butter knife work the buttercream to the edges of the cupcake in a clockwise direction. Top with a couple of coffee beans to decorate.

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