These easy Mocha Cupcakes are a coffee lovers dream! Espresso chocolate cake is filled with a mascarpone espresso filling and topped with a creamy coffee buttercream.
I LOVE COFFEE.
It is no secret. My day doesn’t start until I make a fresh pot of coffee. It seemed necessary to spread my love for the classic beverage into a dessert!
These mocha cupcakes are dreamy. A rich and moist espresso cake is filled with a mascarpone espresso filling and topped with a creamy coffee buttercream. I cannot imagine anything better.
Dark Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes
Creating the recipe was a bit of a challenge because coffee (which I use in all of my chocolate cake recipes) is more of a flavor enhancer. I wanted it to be the true star.
After a few trial runs I finally found that when you make a strong cup of Joe in a French Press you get the perfect balance. It is also best to make sure it is piping hot. Which is why the Mr. Coffee® Electric French Press + Hot Water Kettle is ideal. In only a few minutes water is to a boil and only 5 minutes more to let the grounds seep in the water.
Bonus, there is an automatic shut off when it reaches the right temperature which means you can leave it be while you work on whisking together the remaining ingredients!
Ingredients for mocha cupcakes:
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Dutch processed cocoa
- Baking powder
- Espresso powder
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Butter
- Vanilla
- Strong brewed Coffee
Once you have the beautiful batter together you can fill those liners and pop them straight into the oven. Let those perfect cakes bake away and work on the filling and frosting! This recipe makes about 12 cupcakes so if you are feeding a crowd I suggest you double up because they disappear quick. AND taste even better the second day.
How to make coffee cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, Dutch cocoa, baking powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Combine the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla in a measuring cup. Stir with a fork until combined and fold into your dry ingredients. Mix in the coffee.
- Divide evenly between your prepared cupcake liners and bake 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
Espresso Cream Filling
The filling in this recipe is THE star. It is so so so delicious. Like, I had to stop myself from eating spoonfuls so there would be enough to fill the cupcakes! The secret? Mascarpone cheese!
What is mascarpone cheese?
Mascarpone is the Italian version of cream cheese. The main difference is that it contains a higher fat content and tastes slightly more creamy and rich. It is ideal for fillings and frostings, but could be substituted for regular ol’ cream cheese if needed.
Like this recipe? You will love my:
Mocha Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch Cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee
Filling:
- 4 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 2 teaspoons strong brewed coffee I recommend brewing in the Mr. Coffee® Electric French Press + Hot Water Kettle
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Frosting:
- 3/4 cup butter soft
- 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Whisk together the granulated sugar, flour, Dutch cocoa, baking powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Combine the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla in a measuring cup. Stir with a fork until combined and fold into your dry ingredients. Mix in the coffee.
- Divide evenly between your prepared cupcake liners and bake 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
Filling:
- Mix all of the ingredients until incorporated. Fill your cupcakes.
Frosting:
- Cream together the butter, cocoa, and espresso powder in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Scrape the sides and slowly add the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Whip until fluffy making sure to clean the sides of the bowl for even mixing. Spread or pipe onto you cupcakes.
Equipment
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Jessica says
I made the cake portion of these as a sheet cake for my birthday and it’s one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever made. Next time, I’ll double it to get a thicker cake but the flavor & texture are amazing! For anyone wondering, it works perfectly with a gluten free AP/1-to-1 flour. I topped with a boiled chocolate fudge frosting since we were eating it as ice cream sundaes but I plan to try your frosting next time!
Jesseca says
I’m so glad you liked it! I’ll have to give it a try as a cake soon.