Espresso and Vanilla Frosted Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Last weekend Caleb and I were invited to a graduation barbecue thrown by some of our graduating senior friends. We didn’t have a lot on hand since it was the end of the year and we were trying to use up what food was left, but luckily we had a dark chocolate cake mix and plenty of homemade frosting ingredients.



While I always try to make cupcakes from scratch since they’re so easy, the premade mix created moist, fluffy chocolate cupcakes and the following two frostings accented them perfectly. Caleb and I both enjoy espresso-flavored food items tremendously, but not everyone shares this love, which is why I made two altogether different yet similarly delicious icings.

For the vanilla frosting:

Ingredients:
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 1/2 Tbs. milk, plus more if needed
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
Food colorings (optional)

Serves: 4 cups, or 24 cupcakes frosted liberally
Duration: 10 minutes

Have all the ingredients at room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, the 4 1/2 Tbs. milk, the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks. Tint with food coloring as desired.

For the espresso frosting:

Ingredients:
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 shots espresso
1/4 tsp. salt
Food colorings (optional)
2 Tbs. freshly ground coffee (preferably hazelnut or French vanilla)
3 Tbs. melted chocolate or chocolate sauce

Serves: 4 cups, or 24 cupcakes frosted liberally
Duration: 10 minutes

Have all the ingredients at room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, the espresso, the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. If the frosting is dry, add more milk, 1 tsp. at a time, until it is creamy but still holds peaks.

After applying to cupcakes, sprinkle coffee grounds onto frosting lightly and drizzle chocolate sauce. Serve within 24 hours for best quality.

-Amy