Mocha birthday cupcakes

You might have guessed from the title that I made these beauties for a birthday. My friend Laura was turning... whatever... it was her birthday. Laura is Italian and if there's one thing we both miss from home is good old real coffee. (Sorry, american coffee is not the real deal for us, don't get offended).

So come her birthday, I knew there had to be coffee in whatever I baked for her.  She requested chocolate as part of whatever I made. Chocolate + coffee? Mocha cupcakes!

No better start than brewing some caffeine with my italian coffee maker and having a cup while I put some in the cake batter...

Chocolate-coffee cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes (fat topped ones)

1 1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup good strong coffee
1 stick of butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F

Cream the butter with the sugars. Mix in the egg. Add the coffee and milk. Don't panic, the mixture looks very liquid at this stage but it'll work just fine. In a bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry mixture to the liquid one slowly mixing with a spatula. Pour batter into baking cups and bake for about 15-20 min. Let them cool in a rack before frosting.

Mocha frosting

Makes enough for the 12 cupcakes (I had no leftovers)

1 stick of butter, softened
1/4 cup strong coffee
2 teaspoons instant coffee
3 cups confectioners sugar (I know, it's painful)

Cream together butter and coffees. Add sugar cup by cup until frosting has the desired consistency.

We enjoyed them along with the strawberry shortbread cake Laura's roommate brought... sugar coma!