Coffee And Walnut Cupcakes With Coffee Buttercream Recipes

COFFEE CREAM & WALNUT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and make sure there's a shelf ready in the middle. Line a 12-hole bun tin with fairy cake cases. Beat the butter, sugar, flour and eggs with 4 tsp of the coffee and a pinch of salt until creamy. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
• Spoon the mix into the cases (start by adding 1 heaped tsp to each, then go back and top them up - that way they should all be of equal size), then bake for 18-20 mins until light golden and springy. Cool for a few mins in the tin, then lift the cakes out and cool completely on a rack.
• Put the mascarpone, 3 tsp more of the coffee and the sugar into a large bowl, then beat together. Spread a dollop of the coffee cream onto the top of each cake, then finish with a walnut half. The cakes are best if they're iced fairly near the time of eating, so if you're making ahead, whip up the mascarpone mix, keep in the fridge, beat it again, then spoon onto the cakes just before serving. Un-iced cakes will keep up to 2 days in an airtight container.

COFFEE AND WALNUT CUPCAKES WITH COFFEE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan forced. Line your muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
• Boil the kettle and add 2 tablespoons (note 1) of boiling water to the coffee granules. Mix to dissolve, then set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornflour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well to combine.
• In a separate large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the melted butter and both sugars until combined.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beat with a whisk until completely combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
• Add one third of the flour mixture. Stir through gently until just combined. Now add half of the buttermilk and the dissolved coffee mixture. Mix gently again. Continue like this until all the flour and buttermilk is combined... just.
• Add the walnuts and gently mix them through (just a couple of turns). It is important not to overmix or be too heavy-handed otherwise your cupcakes will turn out dry and tough.
• Divide the mixture among the cupcake cases to about two-thirds full.
• Bake for around 18-20 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through to make sure they bake evenly. When a toothpick inserted comes out with just a crumb or two, they are done.
• Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack
• Combine the coffee granules with 1 tablespoon (note 1) of boiling water. Stir to dissolve, then set aside
• Beat together the butter and ½ a cup of the icing sugar until light and fluffy. Now, with the mixer on low, gradually add in the rest of the icing sugar.
• Once it is all combined, add the coffee and vanilla, and beat for 5 minutes on medium-high. If the buttercream seems too loose to pipe, just add a little more icing sugar as necessary to thicken it.
• Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, pipe the buttercream on top. Serve as they are or decorate with crushed walnuts or walnut praline.