Did you know it was national cupcake week this week? I had no idea it even existed until OXO and The Happy Egg Co. contacted me and asked if I could create a cupcake recipe for the occasion and sent me a couple of their baking tools to help make them. It seems like there is a national week or day for pretty much every foodstuff nowadays…it all seems a little over the top and unnecessary to me to be perfectly honest but hey, it’s a good excuse to bake some cupcakes!
I went for a somewhat grownup recipe for these ones, based on one of my favourite cocktails – the espresso martini. I added Kahlua and vodka to the cake mixture, brushed some over the baked cakes and added some to the icing, so needless to say they are not really suitable for children! I used one of my absolute favourite icings for these, cooked flour frosting, which is made in a slightly unusual way – you mix together flour and milk, cook it in a pan so that it forms a thick paste then leave it to cool. Then you whisk together butter and caster sugar until it is really light and fluffy and gradually whisk in the paste; the resulting frosting is ethereally light and smooth, and not overly sweet. To get the espresso martini flavour into the icing I replaced some of the milk in the paste with Kahlua, don’t be tempted to try and add any extra alcohol into the frosting, or you run the risk of it splitting.
I was sent an OXO Good Grips stainless steel mixing bowl and a cupcake icing knife to make my cupcakes with; the bowl is very sturdy and solid, is dual layered to protect your hands if you are mixing something very hot or cold, and has a very handy non-skid base to stop it from slipping around while you are whisking. I decided to pipe the icing onto my cupcakes rather than spreading it so didn’t use the cupcake icing knife, I did use it to ice my mini chocolate, nutella and hazelnut praline cake though and found it to be just the right size for icing a small cake; both tools will be getting a lot of use!
Espresso Martini Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cakes
- 75 g (1/4 cup + 1tbsp) softened butter
- 100 g (1/2 cup + 1tbsp) light brown soft sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 110 g (scant 1 cup) self-raising flour
- (rounded 1/4 tsp) baking powder
- 50 ml (3 tbsp) Kahlua or Tia Maria
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) vodka (or more Kahlua)
- 1 tsp coffee extract I used Nielsen Massey
Syrup
- 1 Tbsp strong hot coffee
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Kahlua/Tia Maria
- 1 tsp vodka
Icing
- 1.5 tbsp plain flour
- 40 ml (scant 3 tbsp) full fat milk
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) Kahlua/Tia Maria
- 65 g (generous 1/4 cup) softened butter
- 65 g (1/3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
Instructions
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Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and line a muffin tray with about 8 cupcake liners.
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Whisk together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time whisking extremely well after each addition. Sift in the flour and baking powder and whisk until just combined then finally mix in the Kahlua/Tia Maria, vodka and coffee extract.
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Divide the batter between the cupcake cases, filling them 2/3rds full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn the cupcakes out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
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To make the syrup, dissolve the sugar in the hot coffee then stir in the Kahlua/Tia Maria and vodka. Brush each of the cupcakes with a little of the syrup.
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To make the icing, whisk together the flour, milk and Kahlua/Tia Maria in a small pan until smooth. Place over a medium-low heat and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened into a very thick paste; scrape it into a small bowl, cover with clingfilm directly on the surface and refrigerate until completely cold.
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Whisk together the butter and sugar for several minutes until extremely light and fluffy and the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the chilled paste a little at a time, whisking well after each addition, until it is all incorporated. Don't be tempted to add any extra liquid to the icing or it may split.
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Transfer the icing into a piping bag fitted with a large open star nozzle and pipe dollops or swirls onto the top of each cupcake, garnish with coffee beans (preferably chocolate covered ones if you can find them).
If you want more #NationalCupcakeWeek inspiration check out these Elderflower Yoghurt Cupcakes by Supergoldenbakes, Eaton Mess Cupcakes by Twigg Studios, Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes by Butter and Brioche, Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes by Vikalinka, Dark Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes by Bright Eyed Baker or Quadruple Chocolate Cupcakes by me!
I am sharing this with Fabulous Foodie Fridays, Fiesta Friday hosted by Cooking With Aunt Juju and Dad Whats 4 Dinner? , Foodie FriDIY, Foodie Friends Friday, Friday Favourites and Friday Features.
Wow Hannah! This is one grown up and sophisticated cupcake. Love it! I adore espresso martinis but can’t drink them as they literally keep me awake all night. But I think I could probably survive a couple of these. So cute.
Thanks Lucy 🙂 I love espresso martinis but only drink them if I’m on a night out and therefore want to stay awake!
Love these, Hannah! I had no idea it was a national cupcake day either! I can only imagine how gorgeous of espresso martini would be. Pinned to make later!
Thanks Julia 🙂 there are too many national days, it is far too much to keep up with!
Yum! I had an espresso martini for the first time on the weekend – such a good combination of espresso and kahlua, so I can imagine how gorgeous and sophisticated these cupcakes would be! <3
They are delicious aren’t they 🙂 the cupcakes are pretty darn tasty too!
These are so good looking Hannah. They are so grown up looking, I love them. I bet they taste amazing.
Thanks Angela 🙂 they do taste amazing, and very grown up!
oh my! In love with this. They looks so good and I am sure they taste awesome.
Thank you!
I might keep these as a special surprise for hubby one day 🙂 #FFF
I can’t believe I missed Cupcake Week!
I love a good espresso martini, probably the only cocktail I enjoy, and in cupcake form – delicious! Making cooked flour frosting is always such a surprising and rewarding job. Even though I spend the whole time panicking that I’m doing something wrong.
These cupcakes are going to be perfect for the next girl’s night I go to!
There are too many food days/weeks/months to keep up with! I love cooked flour frosting, it is so much less tempermental than swiss meringue buttercream 🙂
I am not a fan of martinis but I would love your cupcakes. Lots of good flavors going on in your recipe. Thanks for sharing – wish I could try one!
I don’t like regular martinis, but espresso ones are a whole other matter! Thank you 🙂
Ohhhh, I love this specialty cupcake. I must admit, I missed cupcake week. 🙁 I LOVE all the components of your cupcakes as well. I’m sure these are going to be a hit at the fiesta this week. Hope you have a fabulous weekend! 🙂
Thanks Kaila 🙂
Your cupcakes are iced so perfectly, they look adorable! And the flavor sounds great, too. Yum!
They’re not! I just hid the wonkiest ones at the back! Thanks Caroline 🙂
Great looking cupcakes. Thanks for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday #86. Happy FF!
Thank you!
How did I miss national cupcake week! These look like a fantastic way to celebrate such an important occasion! Thanks for linking up with us for Fabulous Foodie Fridays, I hope you have a great weekend 🙂
Thanks Lauren! I only found out about it because someone else told me!
Your cupcakes look absolutely fabulous!
Thank you 🙂
Hannah, I know I say this every week but these look AMAZING! I shared them on my Facebook page after I finished drooling…lol! Pinning them too!
Lol! Thanks Michelle! 🙂
These look really cute 🙂 #TastyTuesdays
Thank you!
These look just perfect. I love anything coffee flavoured! Beautiful photography too. So glad to have found your blog on Twitter 🙂
Oh wow! A cupcake crossed with a cocktail crossed with coffee! Food doesn’t get much better than that!
Perfect muffins, love coffee in cake. Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays x
Wow these are so beautiful – Its not often I’m inspired to make cupcakes these days but these have won me over. I love the sound of the cooked flour frosting – Must try. Thanks so much for joining in with #Bakeoftheweek apologies for being so late getting over to you. Roundup now open x