Espresso Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcake

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 c hottest tap water
• 1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 1/3 cup half-and-half

Frosting

• 100 g dark chocolate, 3.5 oz
• 150 g unsalted butter, 5 oz., softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/8 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder

Direction

 Cupcake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Beat the sugar and unsalted butter until smooth and fluffy – about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and eggs, and mix again until combined.
2. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and whisk the mixture to blend everything together.
3. In a separate bowl, add the hot tap water, cocoa powder, and instant espresso powder. Mix everything until the powders have dissolved. Pour this into the batter and mix.
4. Finally, mix in the half and half, then distribute the batter among the cupcake liners, filling each liner 2/3 full.
5. Bake the cupcakes for approximately 18 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out relatively clean (with just a few crumbs). Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Frosting

1. Melt the chocolate for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir the chocolate to get it completely smooth. Transfer this chocolate to another bowl so that it cools faster.
2. In the meanwhile, beat the unsalted butter with the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and espresso powder.
3. Add in the cooled melted chocolate. Mix to combine. Refrigerate the frosting to so that it can stiffen up just a bit before applying to the cupcakes.