Coffee Cupcakes

Amethyst · January 4, 2026, 4:04pm

Coffee Cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients:

Coffee Cupcakes:

150 g Granulated sugar
113 g Unsalted butter, 82% fat content, European-style butter, use it softened
2 Egg,s room temperature
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
80 g Whole milk, room temperature
40 g Freshly brewed coffee, room temperature
185 g All-purpose flour
½ teaspoon Baking powder
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Baking soda
½ teaspoon White vinegar

Coffee Buttercream Frosting:

226 g Unsalted butter 82% fat content European-style butter, use it softened
240 g Powdered sugar Sifted
½ tablespoon Vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoons Heavy cream 36% fat content
1 teaspoon Espresso powder

Directions:

Coffee cupcakes:

Prepare your cupcake tin by lining it with muffin liners and preheat your oven to 175℃ / 347℉ (no fan).

In a large bowl, cream the room-temperature butter and sugar for a few minutes until it’s light and fluffy.

Then, whip in the room-temperature eggs in slowly, followed by the vanilla extract.

Slowly pour the room-temperature milk & coffee mixture into the batter, while your mixer is on.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt over the batter. Then, switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the dry ingredients carefully, not overmixing the batter at this point.

In a small bowl, mix vinegar with the baking soda. It will be super bubbly. Then, immediately fold the vinegar mixture into the batter just until it’s combined.

Pipe or spoon the batter evenly into the cavities of your cupcake tin, filling each one about ¾ full.

Bake the cupcake for about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not overbake them, as they can dry out.

Cool the baked coffee cupcakes on a cooling rack. They must be at room temperature before frosting.

Coffee Buttercream Frosting:

Using your stand mixer or electric hand mixer, cream the room-temperature softened butter at medium-high speed for 3 minutes until it becomes light in color and fluffy in texture.

Add in the powdered sugar tablespoon by tablespoon on low speed, then turn the mixer back on medium-high speed and whip it for another 4 minutes or until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and increases in volume.

Mix the espresso powder with the heavy cream until fully dissolved.

Lastly, while the mixer is on at low speed, add vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream & coffee mixture and continue whipping for another minute until it is smooth and silky.

Move the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a piping nozzle. Frost the cupcakes with the coffee buttercream, and decorate according to your liking, eg, with coffee beans or a hint of cocoa powder.

The cupcakes are best served fresh. Any leftovers can be stored refrigerated for 2-3 days in an air-tight container. Bring them back to room temperature before serving, for the frosting to soften.

Notes:

The frosting recipe above is enough to frost 12 Coffee cupcakes generously.

You might be able to make more or fewer cupcakes with this recipe, depending on the size of the cupcake tin cavities.

Ingredient notes:

Measure your ingredients with a Digital scale for accuracy.

All cupcake ingredients must be at room temperature to properly emulsify: eggs, butter, coffee, and milk.

The baking soda and vinegar mixture is my signature baking hack to make cupcakes super moist and fluffy; do not skip it.

Use high-fat (36%) heavy cream and good-quality high-fat (82%) butter for making buttercream.

It is key to use high-quality vanilla for the best flavor. Feel free to try my homemade vanilla extract.

Espresso powder, also known as instant espresso, comes from darkly roasted espresso beans that undergo a process of grinding, brewing, drying, and a subsequent fine grinding process. This creates a concentrated powder that easily dissolves in liquid. Alternatively, use one of these espresso powder substitutes.

Technique notes:

Expert tips:

Do not mix the baking soda and vinegar in advance. The bubbly chemical reaction will slow as the mixture sits, and the cupcakes will not rise as much when they bake.

Use a paddle attachment on the stand mixer to avoid unnecessary air bubbles.

When making the coffee-flavored cupcakes, add the butter to the sugar piece by piece to help it thoroughly incorporate the other ingredients and avoid clumping.

When making the buttercream, stop whipping as soon as it becomes light and fluffy. Otherwise, it will deflate and become runny.

When mixing in the powdered sugar, make sure the mixer is at low speed to avoid a huge sugar cloud!
Always use a rubber spatula when folding ingredients to avoid overmixing.

When the buttercream is finished, gently mix it with a rubber spatula for a few minutes to get a smooth, silky texture.

If the buttercream is too thick, add powdered sugar, two tablespoons at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. If it is too thick, mix in one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time.

To avoid overbaking and drying out the cupcakes, pay attention to their texture versus the time in the oven. The toothpick test is a good indicator of whether or not it is done baking.

Before piping the frosting on top, you must wait until the cupcakes come to room temperature to avoid melted frosting.

A digital scale is required for a consistent, happy baking experience.

Do not overwork the cupcake batter. After whipping the wet ingredients, switch to a rubber spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients.

Always preheat your oven and consider using a digital oven thermometer for the best results.

When whipping in the eggs and milk, make sure they are all at room temperature. Otherwise, the batter will break.

Baking these cupcakes takes 22 minutes in my oven. However, you should focus on the texture, not the time. Apply the toothpick test (it should come out clean) to avoid overbaked cupcakes. Do not overbake them, as that will result in a dry texture.

When making the buttercream, the temperature and texture of the butter are key. Wait until it is soft; however, avoid last-minute microwaving.

When adding the powdered sugar, reduce the speed of the mixer to avoid creating a huge powder sugar cloud.

This coffee frosting should have the perfect pipeable, fluffy texture, but if, for some reason, it is too thick, add some more cream (1 tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (1 tablespoon at a time).

Note that the coffee buttercream texture is best straight after making it when the butter is at the right temperature (room temperature), and the mixture is freshly whipped. I like to use the frosting immediately or store it at room temperature in a piping bag for a few hours. If stored in the refrigerator, you will need to bring it back to room temperature before using it, and you might need to give it another minute or two to whip in the stand mixer to increase the volume again.

Storage and Freezing:

The coffee cupcakes and buttercream have the best flavor and texture when served immediately. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. When ready to serve, bring them to room temperature first to soften the buttercream.

To freeze, place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe plastic bag and store them for up to three months. Thaw them at room temperature, preferably overnight.

Nutritional Facts:

Recipe courtesy of Spatula Desserts.com