Sunday, March 11, 2012

New Twist on "Coffee Cake"

I first made this recipe back in 2010, and it was a great St. Patrick's Day treat.

We're not Irish, but it's fun to make themed meals, and St. Patrick's Day provides the perfect opportunity for that. And it's nice to be able to carry that through both the entree and dessert courses. And if you want to take it one step further, serve it with an actual Irish Coffee or hot chocolate with a shot of Bailey's.

(My young son was partaking in these, though, so I opted to skip the whiskey frosting. Instead I frosted half of the batch with vanilla icing, and dusted the other half with powdered sugar. They were delicious all the same.)

Irish Coffee Cupcakes
Recipe from Martha Stewart Living
Makes 15


Ingredients:
    For the cupcakes
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 2 tablespoons instant-espresso powder
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
    For the frosting
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon whiskey
  • Instant-espresso powder, for dusting

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cupcakes: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour water over espresso powder; let cool. Combine espresso with milk. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on a medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with espresso-milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour (batter may look broken).
  2. Fill 15 cups (of two 12-cup muffin tins) three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool; turn out cupcakes from tins.
  3. Make the frosting: Whisk together cream and confectioners' sugar until medium peaks form. Add whiskey; whisk until slightly stiff peaks form.
  4. Top each cupcake with 2 tablespoons frosting; dust with espresso powder.

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