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    Home » Cakes and Cupcakes

    Espresso Cupcakes

    Published: Aug 24, 2021 Updated: Aug 24, 2021 by Alison Hope · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Espresso Cupcakes

    These espresso cupcakes are rich, moist and loaded with espresso flavor. Topped with a gorgeous espresso buttercream frosting. A treat for coffee lovers everywhere!

    Espresso cupcakes topped with espresso frosting.

    These espresso cupcakes have so much delicious espresso flavor that you could pretty much skip your morning coffee and have one of these instead!

    Although having one of these WITH your morning coffee, well that is even better.

    The cupcakes are light, fluffy, moist and delicious and the buttercream? Well, the buttercream is the silkiest espresso buttercream frosting. The perfect combination.

    You’ll also love our chocolate cupcakes and our cinnamon cupcakes.

    Ingredients You’ll Need:

    Photo of the ingredients needed to make espresso cupcakes.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Instant espresso powder – this creates the perfect espresso flavor for these cupcakes, however instant coffee powder also works great.
    • Canola oil – can be replaced with any vegetable oil.
    • Buttermilk – we used a homemade buttermilk substitute made up by mixing lemon juice (or vinegar) with room temperature milk. You can do the same or you can use real buttermilk if you happen to have it on hand.
    Espresso cupcakes topped with espresso frosting.

    How To Make Espresso Cupcakes

    Full instructions and measurements can always be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add white granulated sugar, baking soda, salt and instant espresso powder. Mix together.
    Two photo collage showing dry ingredients added to mixing bowl and mixed together.
    • Prepare your homemade buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or distilled white vinegar) to a measuring jug and adding room temperature milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line. Leave it for a few minutes to curdle.
    • Add buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and mix into a batter. Don’t overmix.
    Two photo collage showing wet ingredients added to dry ingredients and mixed into a batter.
    • Divide the batter evenly between 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake tray.
    • Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
    Two photo collage showing cupcakes before and after baking.
    • Let the cupcakes cool for a few minutes in the cupcake tray before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
    • When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with espresso buttercream frosting.
    Two photo collage showing espresso cupcakes on a wire cooling rack and then frosted.

    Chef’s Tips

    Be careful with your flour measurement. The most accurate way to measure flour is actually to weigh it out on a food scale. If you have a food scale then this is always a great way to go about it. If you don’t have a food scale though then the next best way to measure it is to use the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop the flour and don’t pack it into the cup.

    Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing can cause your cupcakes to be dense. Mix the batter until just mixed and then stop mixing. This is also the reason I tend not to use a stand mixer for cake batters, it makes it too easy to overmix. Mix the batter by hand and be very careful not to overdo it.

    Espresso cupcake with the liner pulled down.

    Recipe FAQ

    Can you make a cake from this recipe?

    You can make a three layer 6-inch cake from this recipe. Bake for 20 minutes.

    Is it possible to make these cupcakes dairy-free?

    If you use soy milk or almond milk to make homemade buttermilk then you can make these cupcakes dairy-free.

    How to store them?

    Store them covered at room temperature for 2-3 days or covered in the fridge for up to a week.

    Can you freeze them?

    You can freeze these cupcakes frosted or unfrosted for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.

    Espresso cupcake cut in half.

    More Delicious Cupcakes

    1. Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
    2. Red Velvet Cupcakes
    3. Carrot Cake Cupcakes
    4. Vanilla Cupcakes
    5. Pumpkin Cupcakes
    6. Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below.

    Espresso cupcakes topped with espresso frosting.

    Espresso Cupcakes

    These espresso cupcakes are rich, moist and loaded with espresso flavor. Topped with a gorgeous espresso buttercream frosting. A treat for coffee lovers everywhere!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cupcakes, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 543kcal
    Author: Alison

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups All Purpose Flour Measured Correctly*
    • 1 cup White Granulated Sugar
    • 1 tsp Baking Soda
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • 2 Tbsp Instant Espresso Powder
    • 1 cup Homemade Buttermilk or Real Buttermilk
    • ½ cup Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil
    • 1 Large Egg
    • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

    Espresso Buttercream Frosting

    • 1 Recipe Espresso Buttercream Frosting
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a cupcake tray with 12 cupcake liners.
    • Sift all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add white granulated sugar, baking soda, salt and instant espresso powder. Mix together.
    • Prepare your homemade buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or distilled white vinegar) to a measuring jug and adding room temperature milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line. Leave it for a few minutes to curdle.
    • Add buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and mix into a batter. Don't overmix.
    • Divide the batter evenly between the 12 cupcake liners.
    • Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
    • Let the cupcakes cool for a few minutes in the cupcake tray before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
    • When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with espresso buttercream frosting.

    Notes

    1. Flour. The most accurate way to measure flour is actually to weigh it out on a food scale. If you have a food scale then click ‘metric’ below the list of ingredients to get the weight in grams. If you don’t have a food scale then the next best way to measure it is to use the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop the flour and don’t pack it into the cup.
    2. Instant espresso powder. This creates the perfect espresso flavor for these cupcakes, however instant coffee powder also works great.
    3. Buttermilk. We used a homemade buttermilk substitute made up by mixing lemon juice (or vinegar) with room temperature milk. You can do the same or you can use real buttermilk if you happen to have it on hand. Either option will work great in this recipe. 
    4. Don’t overmix the batter. Mix the batter until just mixed and then stop mixing. 
    5. Storing and Freezing. Store them covered at room temperature for 2-3 days or covered in the fridge for up to a week. You can freeze these cupcakes frosted or unfrosted for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
    6. Nutritional information includes both the cupcakes and the frosting. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Cupcake | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 537IU | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @gimmethatflavor on Instagram and hashtag it #gimmethatflavor
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    About Alison Hope

    Hi I'm Alison, I'm the voice and cook behind Gimme That Flavor. I am a big time foodie and probably cooking up a storm in my kitchen right now! I'm also a cat mom. And a sweet tooth. Binge watcher of TV shows. Terrible sleeper always staying up too late....Find out more about me here.

    Gimme That Flavor is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Gimme That Flavor will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

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    Alison Hope Author

    Hi! I'm Alison! Big time foodie. I'm probably cooking up a storm in my kitchen right now. I'm also a cat mom. And a sweet tooth. Binge watcher of TV shows. Terrible sleeper always staying up too late.... 

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