Cappuccino Cupcakes: Coffee Shop Perfection in Every Bite

Cappuccino cupcakes bring your favorite coffee shop drink to life in a fluffy, espresso-infused dessert that actually tastes like the real thing.

No weak coffee flavor here. No dry, disappointing sponge. Just proper coffee kick wrapped in tender cake with creamy frosting that’ll make you forget about that overpriced latte.

KEY INFO

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 18-20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes (plus cooling)
Servings: 18 standard cupcakes
Difficulty level: Intermediate
Dietary tags: Vegetarian, can be made vegan

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EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• Cupcake tin with paper liners
• Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer)
• Two large mixing bowls
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Whisk
• Piping bag with Wilton #104 tip (or any piping tip you’ve got)
• Toothpick for testing
• Kitchen towel (trust me on this one)

Simple alternatives: Hand mixer works fine, just takes longer. Skip the fancy piping and spread frosting with a knife if you’re not feeling artistic.

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INGREDIENTS

For the Cupcakes:

• 2¼ cups (281g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon (12g) baking powder
• ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
• 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature (or sour cream)
• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
• ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil
• 1 cup (200g) white granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) espresso, cooled to room temperature

*Can’t be bothered with espresso? Dissolve 1.5 tablespoons instant espresso powder in 3 tablespoons hot water, then cool it.*

For the Cappuccino Buttercream:

• 1½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar, sifted (don’t skip the sifting unless you like lumpy frosting)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) espresso, room temperature
• 1 drop red food coloring gel (for that rose-colored frosting)

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METHOD

Making the Cupcakes:

1. Line your cupcake tin with paper liners and preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a measuring cup, combine buttermilk, egg whites, and vanilla extract—whisk until they’re friendly with each other.
4. Chuck the butter, oil, and sugar into your stand mixer bowl and beat until it looks light and fluffy—about 2 minutes.
5. Now here’s the important bit: add your buttermilk mixture and dry ingredients to the butter mixture in alternating additions. Start with dry, end with dry. Mix until just combined after each addition. Don’t murder the batter by overmixing.
6. Transfer 1½ cups of batter to a separate bowl and set it aside (this stays vanilla).
7. Pour those 3 tablespoons of espresso into the remaining batter in your mixer and gently fold it in—15 seconds max. We’re making cupcakes, not developing arm muscles.
8. Spoon 2 tablespoons of espresso batter into each cupcake liner.
9. Top each one with 1 tablespoon of vanilla batter. Smooth the tops with the back of a teaspoon if you’re feeling fancy.
10. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Let them cool completely in the tin before even thinking about frosting them. Warm cupcakes + buttercream = melted disaster.

Making the Buttercream:

1. Throw butter, sifted powdered sugar, and salt into your stand mixer bowl.
2. Cover the whole thing with a kitchen towel before turning it on (unless you want your kitchen looking like a sugar bomb exploded).
3. Beat until combined—about 1 minute.
4. Add vanilla extract and espresso, then beat for another 30 seconds.
5. Add one drop of red food coloring gel at a time until you get a pretty rose-pink shade. Go easy—gel coloring is strong stuff.

Decorating:

1. Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton #104 tip with your frosting.
2. Pipe roses starting from the center and working outward in a spiral. Or just slap it on with a spatula if roses aren’t your thing.

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CRUCIAL TIPS

• Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable. Cold butter won’t cream properly. Cold egg whites won’t incorporate smoothly. Cold espresso will seize up your batter.
• Don’t overmix the espresso batter. Fifteen seconds of gentle folding is all you need. Overmixing develops gluten and makes tough, dense cupcakes.
• Sift that powdered sugar. Nobody wants to bite into a lumpy frosting surprise.
• Use real espresso if possible. Instant works in a pinch, but proper brewed espresso gives you that authentic cappuccino punch.
• Test for doneness properly. Insert a toothpick into the center—it should come out clean with maybe a few dry crumbs clinging to it.

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STORAGE & VARIATIONS

Storage:

• Room temperature: 2 days in an airtight container
• Refrigerator: 5 days in an airtight container (bring to room temp before serving)
• Freezer: 3 months unfrosted, 1 month frosted (freeze on a baking sheet first, then bag them up)

Scaling:

• Double everything for a party (36 cupcakes).
• Half everything if you’re just testing the waters (9 cupcakes).
• Make them mini by using a

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