Cardamom & Coffee Cupcakes - Recipe

for the cupcakes:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners/icing sugar
2 cups self-rising flour
4 eggs
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. orange extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine all the cupcake ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and pale, about 2 - 3 minutes. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 30 minutes.

for the frosting:
2 cups confectioners/icing sugar sifted
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tsp. hot coffee
1 tbsp. kahlua
36 cardamom pods (if desired)

2. Add coffee granules to hot coffee, and stir to dissolve. Stir in Kahlua; set aside to cool. Once coffee/kahlua mixture is cool: beat the icing sugar, butter, sour cream, coffee and kahlua mixture with an electric mixer until smooth. Frost each cupcake with a beveled spatula or piping bag. Top each cupcake with 2 cardamom pods, if desired for decoration. Alternatively, top each cupcake with a sprinkling of chocolate shavings or cookie crumbs. 

Mini Espresso Cupcakes - Recipe

for the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup malted milk powder
1/4 cup dark espresso coffee
1 cup confectioners/icing sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into an medium bowl. Combine the milk powder and coffee in a small bowl. Beat the sugar, eggs and butter in a medium bowl until light and creamy. Add the flour and coffee mixtures alternately to the egg mixture. Spoon a heaping tablespoon into each well of a mini muffin tin lined with mini baking cups. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool for an additional 25 minutes.

for the frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp. instant coffee granules
2 tsp. hot coffee
1 tsp. vanilla extract
chocolate covered coffee beans, if desired for garnish

2. Beat the butter and icing sugar in a bowl until soft and creamy. Add the coffee granules to the hot coffee and stir. Beat into the butter and sugar mixture, and then stir in the vanilla. Frost each cupcake with a beveled spatula or piping bag fitted with an open star tip. Top each cupcake with a chocolate covered coffee bean, if desired.

Makes approximately 18 mini cupcakes

*thanks to javacupcake.com for this great picture and idea*

Outside-In Ginger & Caramel Cupcakes - Recipe

1/2 cup sweet butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 lightly beaten eggs
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tbsp. boiling water
2 2/3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp. candied ginger, chopped
1/2 cup soft caramels

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs slowly. In a small bowl, dissolve the coffee in the water. Beat the coffee into the butter mixture. Add the flour, candied ginger and milk and beat until well combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Push 1 or 2 caramels into the center of each cupcake and place pan in the oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and serve warm.

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes

Outside-In Chocolate Chip & Caramel Cupcakes - Recipe

1/2 cup sweet butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 lightly beaten eggs
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tbsp. boiling water
2 2/3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp. mini chocolate chips1/2 cup soft caramels

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs slowly. In a small bowl, dissolve the coffee in the water. Beat the coffee into the butter mixture. Add the flour, chocolate chips and milk and beat until well combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Push 1 or 2 caramels into the center of each cupcake and place pan in the oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and serve warm.

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes

Outside In Caramel Cupcakes - Recipe

1/2 cup sweet butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 lightly beaten eggs
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tbsp. boiling water
2 2/3 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup soft caramels

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs slowly. In a small bowl, dissolve the coffee in the water. Beat the coffee into the butter mixture. Add the flour and milk and beat until well combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Push 1 or 2 caramels into the center of each cupcake and place pan in the oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the pan and serve warm.

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes

Blueberry & Coffee Muffins - Recipe

2 tbsp. boiling water
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tbsp. milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. almonds, chopped
3 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/3 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a cup or small bowl, pour 2 tbsp of boiling water over the instant coffee. Stir in the milk (not the buttermilk) , and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, mix the almonds, flour, sugar,, and baking soda with a spoon or whisk. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and buttermilk with an electric mixer until well combined (about 2-3 minutes). Stir in the cooled coffee. Add the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture stirring with a spoon or whisk until nearly combined. Gently fold in the blueberries with a large spoon or spatula until evenly dispersed. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven. Cool muffins for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan. *These muffins are best served warm.*

Makes approximately 12 muffins

Fieldberry & Coffee Muffins - Recipe

2 tbsp. boiling water
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tbsp. milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. walnuts, chopped
3 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/3 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup fresh/frozen thawed field berries 
(such as raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry blend)
Preheat the oven to 400F. In a cup or small bowl, pour 2 tbsp of boiling water over the instant coffee. Stir in the milk (not the buttermilk) , and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, mix the walnuts, flour, sugar,, and baking soda with a spoon or whisk. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and buttermilk with an electric mixer until well combined (about 2-3 minutes). Stir in the cooled coffee. Add the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture stirring with a spoon or whisk until nearly combined. Gently fold in the field berries with a large spoon or spatula until evenly dispersed. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven. Cool muffins for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan. *These muffins are best served warm.*

Makes approximately 12 muffins

Raspberry & Coffee Muffins - Recipe

2 tbsp. boiling water
2 tbsp. instant coffee granules
1 tbsp. milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp. hazelnuts, chopped
3 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/3 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a cup or small bowl, pour 2 tbsp of boiling water over the instant coffee. Stir in the milk (not the buttermilk) , and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, mix the hazelnuts, flour, sugar,, and baking soda with a spoon or whisk. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and buttermilk with an electric mixer until well combined (about 2-3 minutes). Stir in the cooled coffee. Add the flour mixture into the buttermilk mixture stirring with a spoon or whisk until nearly combined. Gently fold in the raspberries with a large spoon or spatula until evenly dispersed. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven. Cool muffins for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan. *These muffins are best served warm.*

Makes approximately 12 muffins

Vegan Chocolate & Coffee Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
**see the bottom of the page for gluten-free
 alternatives to all-purpose flour**
4 tbsp. cocoa powder
pinch of salt
2 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup hot coffee2 cups cold water
2 tsp. white vinegar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips (these are generally made with soy rather than dairy milk)

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Sift the flour, cocoa, salt and sugar into a large bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the applesauce, water, vinegar, coffee and baking soda. Add the flour mixture and stir well to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips with a large spoon or spatula. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool on a wire rack for an additional 25 minutes.

For the frosting:
1/2 cup vegan margarine, softened
2 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. coffee, cooled
1/4 cup cocoa powder


2. Cream the margarine with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the rest of the ingredients and beat until well combined. Frost each cupcake with a beveled spatula or piping bag.

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes