Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes with Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Frosting
My friend Jackie had a birthday this past Friday, so she was getting a dozen cupcakes whether she liked it or not.
I used a boxed chocolate cake mix for the cupcakes. I know…baking from a mix is not my style. But cake mixes are always reliable, and I haven’t yet found a terrific chocolate cupcake recipe. So, cake mix it is!
I added a tablespoon of instant coffee to the batter, but it wasn’t a dominant flavor in the cupcake. I might try to add some brewed coffee next time in place of some of the water in the recipe.
Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes
- chocolate cake mix
- eggs, water and oil called for in cake mix
- 1-2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
- Prepare cake mix according to package directions
- Mix in instant coffee granules
- Bake accoring to package directions
- Let cool completely before frosting
I made cream cheese frosting to finish these cupcakes. I really wanted to make these a little different, so I went digging in the cabinet for something that would make the frosting special. I decided to finely chop up 2 1/2 ounces of semisweet chocolate and added it to the frosting.
Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Frosting
- 1 stick butter, room temp
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
- 1 pound (about 4 cups) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (or mini chocolate chips)
- Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in powdered sugar about a cup at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add vanilla and mix well.
- Stir in chocolate with a spatula.
The little pieces of chocolate in the frosting were such a great addition to an otherwise simple cupcake.
Happy Birthday, Jackie!
After Ben and I ate one cupcake each for a taste test I had 10 cupcakes left. What would be the fate of these delicious, sugary delights? We got invited to a neighbors for dinner Sunday night, so I brought them over. Everyone seemed to like them, but I guess I can’t take too much credit for the cupcake being a mix. The frosting really was delicious. It would be good on a white or yellow cake as well I’m sure.