Black Eye Coffee Cupcakes

Instructions

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1. - Make cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. - In small bowl, heat milk in the microwave until steaming. Whisk in espresso powder until dissolved. Set aside to cool.
3. - In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
5. - Add flour mixture alternately with espresso mixture, beating well after each addition. Continue beating one minute.
6. - Fill liners 2/3 full with the cupcake batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely..
7. - Make filling. Set a fine mesh strainer inside a small bowl.
8. - In a small saucepan, stir together sugar, espresso powder, cornstarch and salt.
9. - In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream and egg yolks. Stir into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.
10. - Push mixture through the strainer. Cover the top of the filling directly with plastic wrap and chill completely.
11. - Make frosting. In a small bowl, whisk together espresso powder and milk.
12. - In a large bowl, beat shortening and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
13. - Alternately add sugar, one cup at a time, with milk mixture, scraping sides and bottom of bowl often. Beat until fluffy.
14. - To Assemble: Pipe a ring of espresso frosting around the outer edge of the cupcake. Using a Bismarck tip #230, fill cupcakes with espresso filling, letting it mound up and fill in the center of the frosting ring.

Notes