Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare 12 muffin tins with liners.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add the 2 eggs and beat to combine.

In a separate bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients.

In another bowl, combine coffee and the milk together.

Alternate adding the liquids and the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar-egg combination. When everything is well combined you will have a smooth chocolaty batter.
Spoon the batter, dividing evenly into the muffin liners, (I use an ice cream scoop for this).

Bake the cupcakes for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are just baked through. Set the cupcakes aside and let them cool.

For the frosting:
Bring the cream and the espresso to a simmer in a medium-small pot.

While you are waiting for the cream to simmer, finely chop the chocolate.

When the cream is very hot, remove it from the stove and add the chocolate. Let the chocolate and cream sit.

While the chocolate is melting, add the butter to the bowl of a standing mixer. Cream it on high until fluffy. Add part of the powdered sugar and beat to combine. Then add the remaining powdered sugar.

Using a whisk or a spoon, stir the chocolate (ganache) mixture until thick and smooth. Let the ganache cool for as long as possible before you add it to the buttercream, (however not until it sets up or you will get a separated frosting- just until it is close to room temperature). I did not follow my own instructions! I added the still warm ganache to the rest of the frosting, and then tried to wait for that to set up a little further once it was frosting. Only I wasn’t really patient enough for that either! In between licking the bowl non-stop, I kind of slopped it on the cupcakes- and boy was it good! However, if you have more restraint than I do (who doesn’t?) I would let it set up before applying to cupcakes.

Add sprinkles, edible cake toppers or any other spooky topping.