Page 47 Mocha Cupcakes

"Dramatic peaks of coffee-flavored seven-minute frosting and a single coffee bean crown mocha cupcakes; the coffee variation of swiss meringue buttercream and chocolate covered espresso beans would be delicious substitutions." - Martha

What can I say? I opted for more chocolate on top than more coffee flavoring! Rather than use a coffee bean, I chose to add chocolate curls to the tops of my cupcakes; I really enjoy the mocha mixed flavors of coffee, chocolate and vanilla but coffee alone doesn't do it for me. The frosting called for pure coffee extract and Martha gives a source for on-line ordering of such an item, but I didn't have the time...I was making them tonight! I used exactly what she recommends you don't...instant coffee crystals. I don't know why she says "no" to them for flavoring, she doesn't explain. However, not knowing how different they would have turned out, I think my frosting tastes great and it's very flavorful!

The cupcakes themselves called for 3/4 cup of freshly brewed espresso and 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder which are added to the batter at the end. I actually looked the other day for espresso powder at my local grocers and couldn't find it...anywhere. So here again, I used instant coffee crystals in place of the espresso powder and instead of the freshly brewed espresso, I used a product Starbucks sells at the grocery store called "Double-shot" Espresso and Cream. Deelish! Totally a light but definitive taste of the coffee-chocolate mix. Mocha...Yum!