Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting

These mocha cupcakes are coffee and espresso-infused, light on the chocolate, and topped with an espresso-spiked buttercream frosting.

INGREDIENTS:

• FOR THE CUPCAKES:
•  ½cupbrewed coffee, at room temperature
•  1½teaspoonsespresso powder
•  ½cupwhole milk
•  1teaspoonvanilla extract
•  1⅓cupsall-purpose flour
•  ⅓cupunsweetened cocoa powder
•  1teaspoonbaking powder
•  ½teaspoonbaking soda
•  ¼teaspoonsalt
•  ½cupunsalted butter, at room temperature
•  ½cupgranulated sugar
•  ½cuplight brown sugar
•  1egg(at room temperature)
• FOR THE ESPRESSO BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
•  1cupunsalted butter, at room temperature
•  2½cupspowdered sugar
•  1½teaspoonsvanilla extract
•  1½teaspoonsespresso powder

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin tin with paper liners.
2. Make the Cupcakes: In a measuring cup, whisk the espresso powder into the brewed coffee until completely dissolved. Add the milk and vanilla extract; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

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