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Hi everyone! It’s Liz from Love Grows Wild, and I’m so excited to be back at The Recipe Critic! I love sharing great meal ideas with you, but let’s face it, dessert is WAY more fun! So let’s dive right into these sinfully sweet and deliciously decadent Cappuccino and Chocolate Cupcakes!
Coffee and chocolate have to be two of my favorite things in the entire world. So a cupcake that combines the intoxicating aroma of cappuccino with the rich sweetness of chocolate is bound to be a winner in my book! These yummy mini cakes not only taste and smell amazing, but look so beautiful too! The golden caramel color of the cake along with the glossy, white frosting on top makes them almost too pretty to eat! …Almost! {wink}
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For the cake itself, I use one of my favorite baking shortcuts: boxed cake mix. I always keep some in the pantry for those days I don’t feel like dragging out all my baking ingredients, and you honestly can never tell the difference! To transform the cupcakes into a cappuccino-chocolate treat, I simply added instant coffee dissolved in a bit of water and chocolate chunks! Such an easy way to jazz up a box mix and really make it special! Just look at that gorgeous coffee-color batter…
I absolutely love the frosting recipe for these cupcakes… It is fluffy white, super glossy, and stands up beautifully on the cakes! It takes a few steps, but I promise it’s worth it!
To decorate the cupcakes, I simply grated some extra semi-sweet chocolate on top, which I think makes them look just lovely. Adding some chocolate-covered coffee beans would also be perfect for this cupcake flavor!
I’ve enjoyed some fantastic fruit-inspired desserts all Summer long, but heading into Fall I’m definitely ready for some decadent chocolate! And this recipe totally hits the spot!
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Cappuccino & Chocolate Cupcakes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings: 24
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Prepare yellow cake mix as directed on package. In a small bowl, combine instant coffee and 2 teaspoons hot water. Stir until coffee is fully dissolved and add to the cake batter along with the 4 ounces chopped chocolate. Stir to combine.
- Divide batter among muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in pans 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Set a large bowl over (not in) a pot of barely simmering water. Add sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar and whisk constantly until mixture is frothy and sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and transfer to an electric mixer. Beat on medium until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Then increase the speed to high and beat until whites form medium-stiff, glossy peaks, about 3 minutes. Transfer frosting to a piping bag or large zip-top bag with the tip cut off. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle finely grated chocolate on top.
Notes
If you don't drink coffee, pero makes a great substitute!
Nutrition
Serves: 24
Calories168kcal (8%)Carbohydrates33g (11%)Protein2g (4%)Fat3g (5%)Saturated Fat2g (10%)Cholesterol1mgSodium168mg (7%)Potassium86mg (2%)Fiber1g (4%)Sugar23g (26%)Vitamin A2IUCalcium51mg (5%)Iron1mg (6%)
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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Coffee+chocolate,I absolutely love these cupcakes:) I’ve featured this recipe on my blog, hoping that you don’t mind, but if you do, please contact me and I’ll remove it. All the best.
This sounds amazing. But I wonder what it would taste like if you used a box chocolate cake instead? Has anyone tried that?
Hi Christen! I’m sure using a chocolate cake would be incredible as well! The yellow cake mix just makes that gorgeous coffee-color batter when you add the instant coffee!
Liz, you are speaking to me with these cupcakes! They look amazing! Once again, your photography is awesome here.
Hi Madalena! Thanks so much! These were beauties to photography 🙂 I still use the standard 35mm lens that came with my Canon Rebel, but the 50mm is on my Christmas list!