Black Eye Coffee Cupcakes

If you love coffee and a caffeine buzz, this is the coffee cupcake recipe for you! These cupcakes are named after the coffee house drink, the Black Eye, made by pouring two shots of espresso into a cup of drip-brewed java. The drink was named for the way the espresso ring looked while being poured into the coffee. Delicious and fragrant, these chocolate coffee cupcakes are for true coffee lovers!

Prep45 min
Total Time2 hr
Skill LevelBeginner

Amount24

Ingredients & Tools
Instructions

Ingredients

Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup instant espresso powder
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Espresso Filling
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch salt
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
3 egg yolks

Espresso Buttercream Frosting
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
4 cups sifted powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)

Instructions

Click to mark complete

Make cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
In small bowl, heat milk in the microwave until steaming. Whisk in espresso powder until dissolved. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
Add flour mixture alternately with espresso mixture, beating well after each addition. Continue beating one minute.
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..
Make filling. Set a fine mesh strainer inside a small bowl.
In a small saucepan, stir together sugar, espresso powder, cornstarch and salt.
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.
Push mixture through the strainer. Cover the top of the filling directly with plastic wrap and chill completely.
Make frosting. In a small bowl, whisk together espresso powder and milk.
In a large bowl, beat shortening and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Alternately add sugar, one cup at a time, with milk mixture, scraping sides and bottom of bowl often. Beat until fluffy.
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

Easy filling hack: Substitute instant chocolate pudding mix for espresso filling. Just whisk 2 1/2 tablespoons of instant espresso powder into the milk before adding to the pudding mix.