Mocha Buttercream Cupcakes with a Bit of Attitude

Mocha Buttercream Cupcakes:

24 Chocolate or Vanilla Cupcakes from your favorite recipe or your favorite mix.

• 1 T. instant espresso powder
• 1 T. cocoa
• 1 T. cold water
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 to 2 tsp. of milk or cream (if necessary to thin out buttercream)

In small bowl, mix espresso powder, cocoa and cold water until blended.

Using either a stand mixer or electric beaters, mix the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add all of the espresso mixture and beat until incorporated.  If the buttercream is too thick, thin it with a tsp. of milk or cream.  Add more if necessary.

Of course you can simply, with a knife or spatula, frost each cupcake.  To achieve the look above I used a disposable pastry bag (purchased at Michaels) and snipped off a 3/4″ opening off the tip.  I filled the bag with the buttercream and simply piped it on the cake in circles.

Chocolate Glaze (from Womans Day magazine, March 2010)

• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped*
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 T. unslated butter, softened.

Place chocolate, sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat.  Cook, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in butter until it melts and mixture is smooth.  Let cool before drizzling on each cupcake (otherwise you might ‘melt’ the buttercream).

*I used chocolate chips.