Mocha is a unique delicious combination of chocolate and coffee flavors. Soft and moist mocha cupcakes topped with espresso buttercream frosting. Garnish with chocolate covered coffee beans for a sweet crunch.
The perfect cupcakes for coffee lovers, chocolate enthusiasts, and everyone in between! These mocha cupcakes are a delightful sweet treat for big and small occasions.
Ingredients
For best results, measure ingredients by weight using a kitchen scale. Otherwise, use the “spoon and level method” to properly measure flour by volume.
The easy to make mocha cupcakes use standard pantry ingredients along with one special ingredient. You’ll need the usual flour, baking powder, baking soda, butter, salt, vanilla, and eggs.
- Cocoa Powder: Either type of unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process) works in this recipe. Dutch-process cocoa has been treated with an alkali to neutralize the natural acidity of cocoa making it richer and darker in color and less bitter in flavor.
- Coffee: Stronger coffee will result with more pronounced flavor. Use freshly brewed coffee, day old coffee, or quickly mix up a mug of instant coffee. Or, you may use espresso shots.
- Instant Espresso Powder: This is the special ingredient that truly makes these mocha cupcakes shine! Highly recommended Delallo Instant Espresso, King Arthur Baking Espresso Powder, or 365 Whole Foods Market Instant Espresso.
- Sugar: Recipe uses a mixture of brown sugar and granulated sugar. You may choose to use one type of sugar, if preferred.
- Sour Cream: This adds a balanced tang to the cupcakes as well as moisture. For best results, use full-fat sour cream. Otherwise, swap in creme fraiche or whole milk Greek yogurt.
Recipe Variations
This chocolate coffee cupcake recipe are topped with espresso flavored American buttercream. American buttercream tends to be the sweeter side compared to other frostings.
To truly make these the best cupcakes for your taste preferences, pick from a variety of different frostings. The follow buttercream recipes pair well with this mocha cupcake recipe.
Espresso Meringue Frosting: Call it meringue frosting or marshmallow frosting. This Swiss meringue frosting is flavored with vanilla extract and instant espresso powder. The espresso frosting is used on these almond mocha hi-hat cupcakes.
Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting: Want more chocolate than coffee flavor? Top the cupcakes with whipped chocolate ganache. It’s a super rich, luscious frosting made from two ingredients- chocolate and heavy cream.
French Buttercream: This is the lesser known of the buttercream varieties, but definitely one of the most delicious! French buttercream is super rich and creamy. It uses a combination of egg yolks and whole eggs to produce a silky frosting.
Step-by-Step Instructions
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes
Mocha Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, (200 g)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (20 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, (113 g) softened, room temp
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, (150 g)
- ½ cup brown sugar, (100 g) packed
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- ½ cup sour cream, (120 g) room temp
- ½ cup strong coffee, or espresso, room temp
- 1 Tbsp instant espresso powder
Espresso Buttercream:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, (113 g) softened, room temp
- 3 cup confectioners' sugar, (345 g)
- 3 Tablespoon heavy cream, or milk
- 2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 13 pieces chocolate covered espresso beans, or chocolate covered coffee beans
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. *Sift mixture together if flour or cocoa powder are clumpy. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs one at time on low speed. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, coffee, and espresso. On low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with liquid mixture. Scrape down batter as needed to ensure thorough mixing. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Evenly divide batter among prepared cupcake tin, filling each cavity about ¾ full. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 3 minutes. Then, remove cupcakes from tin. Cool to room temperature on wire racks.
Espresso Buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer), cream butter until smooth. Add half of confectioners' sugar. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Dissolve espresso powder in heavy cream. Add to mixing bowl along with vanilla and salt. Add remaining confectioners' sugar. Mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down bowl as needed. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until smooth and creamy. Use immediately.
Assembly:
- Prepare piping bag with desired piping tip. Spoon espresso frosting into the piping bag.
- Pipe buttercream over cooled mocha cupcakes. Garnish with chocolate covered espresso bean. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
These look really nice! Bet your dad enjoyed them very much:)
Yes he did! :)
I love these cupcakes, such a cute idea!
Thanks, Ashley! I just love the piping tip, trying to find any way to use it!
These are too cute!! I absolutely love the golf theme, and they sound so delicious.
Thanks, Rachel! It’d be really cool to set up the cupcakes to make 18 holes of golf!