Vietnamese Coffee Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream Frosting
I think I’ve said this before, but my friend bought some Vietnamese coffee for me a couple of months back and after baking this cake, I still have some left in my pantry. Since I don’t really drink coffee (but I’m mad over coffee baked goods, weird I know), I decided to use them to make a batch of cupcakes.
I’ve been baking with so many oil-based cakes lately that I’ve not touched my electric mixer for quite some time! (Most of the time my oil-based cakes are made using just a whisk a wooden spoon) It feels good to hear the mixer making noise again, creaming the butter, sugar, eggs and flour together into a lovely creaminess.
My friend got me instant Vietnamese coffee powder, which worked really well in these cupcakes as the coffee flavour is really intense. The cupcakes are denser (but not too overly heavy) and a lot richer than those oil-based cakes. They are soft and not too crumbly, with the strong coffee taste oozing with each and every bite.
Buttercream frostings are never really my favourite as I’ve always found that they need a lot of icing sugar in order to get a nice piping consistency, which often led to the frosting to be too sweet to swallow. I thought that with the addition of coffee, the sweetness will be toned down, but that’s not really the case. Luckily the cake wasn’t very sweet so the two still complemented each other pretty well. I guess I’ll stick to my flour frosting the next time.
Such a perfect treat for afternoon tea!
Combine flour, baking powder, salt and coffee powder in a small bowl.
Softened butter.
One of butter’s best friend – sugar!
The other best friend is me my tummy.
Add in one egg.
And then the second one.
(This is what happens when I tried to crack the egg with one hand – terrible fail.)
Alternate the flour mixture with the coffee mixture.
Slowly drizzle it in… mmm!
Love the smell!
Smooth and yummy batter.
They’ll go into the cupcake liners.
The extras will go into my belly which will be reflected in my tummy.
Bake till done!
They’re kind of “hole-y” but it’s okay, we’re going to cover them up with some frosting.
Mocha frosting, to be exact!
Cream butter, icing sugar, cocoa powder and some coffee until light and fluffy.
Voilà!
Frost and serve!
Vietnamese Coffee Cupcakes with Mocha Buttercream Frosting
(makes 12 regular-sized cupcakes; 24 mini cupcakes)
cupcakes adapted from Chockylit, Cupcake Bakeshop
frosting adapted from The SoHo
Baking Note: My friend bought the instant Vietnamese coffee for me from Vietnam and I love it for its intense coffee taste. I used Vietnamese coffee all the way (even in the frosting), but you can swap the Vietnamese coffee with normal instant coffee, but be sure to grind them finely before adding into the cupcakes batter.
When a recipe calls for strong brewed coffee, I’ll normally double the dose of coffee powder – e.g. if it is recommended for the ratio of coffee to water to be 1 teaspoon : 100 ml, I’ll use 2 teaspoons of coffee for every 100 ml of water to make a strong, brewed coffee.
I found the frosting a tad too sweet for me with 175 grams of sugar, but the cake is not very sweet, so the two still complemented each other quite well. Do remember to taste the frosting as you go so you know when to stop adding the icing sugar.
You’ll need:
Cupcakes
170 grams all-purpose flour (1 3/8 cups)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
90 ml strong brewed Vietnamese coffee, cooled (3/8 cup)
30 ml milk (1/8 cup)
115 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature (1/2 cup; 1 stick)
200 grams sugar (7/8 cup)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
Frosting
55 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature (1/4 cup; 1/2 stick)
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
125 grams to 185 grams icing sugar (1 to 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur (or milk)
Cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Line cupcake liners in a muffin tin or on a baking sheet.
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and instant coffee together in a small bowl. Set aside. Combine the cooled coffee and milk in a small cup and set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light, pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding the next one only when the previous one has been fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Sift in 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat it in on low speed until some pockets of flour remain. With the mixer speed running on low, add in 1/2 of the coffee-milk mixture in a slow, steady stream. Beat until fully incorporated. Sift in 1/2 of the remaining flour mixture and beat it in on low speed. Add in the rest of the coffee-milk mixture in a slow, steady stream, beating it in on low speed. Sift in the rest of the flour mixture and mix until all the flour has been incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners until 3/4 full. For cupcakes that require 1/4-cup batter (regular-sized cupcakes), bake them for 20 to 25 minutes; for cupcakes that require 1/8-cup batter (mini-sized cupcakes), bake them for 18 to 20 minutes; until the cupcakes are well-risen and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine the butter, cocoa powder, 125 grams (1 cup) icing sugar and the dissolved coffee. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add in more icing sugar to suit your taste. Beat in the coffee liqueur and milk for a softer consistency. Frost as desired.
Happy baking!
More coffee for you?
They look pretty, they look delicious, and I want a dozen now to go with my afternoon coffee!
Hi Villy! Thank you! Are you sure a dozen’s enough?
What perfect frosting swirls!
Awww you flatter me, you’re so sweet! Thanks!
I don’t know what vietnamese coffee tastes like but if it’s as tasty as those cupcakes looks … I bet you’ve got a winner of a sweet treat. And I love the piping of your frosting. I’m 56 and have NEVER made let alone piped a buttercream. I’m not a big cake eater as I’m more likely to make cupcakes which I can freeze. I’m curious whether the buttercream freezes well.
Aww thank you for the compliments! Do give it a try, it’s never too late
I’ve read online that buttercream does freezes well (for months, in fact!), they just needs to be whipped again with an electric mixer after thawing! Here’s the site for reference: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/425390
I was actually wondering if it were possible to freeze the decorated cupcakes with the buttercream on them rather than just the buttercream by itself because I don’t see any way to be able to finish a batch at one time.
I like the paper cups your cupcakes are baked in. I just get those flimsy pleated cupcake liners designed to fit into the muffin/cupcake tins which don’t have a lot of body to them but I guess they don’t really need to. I just noticed that you weren’t using the tins but just regular baking sheets.
I adore anything to do with coffee so I would happily scoff these! Unless Villy gets there before me!
Don’t worry, I’ll bake a separate batch for you and Villy, so there’s no need to fight
That’s so nice of you. Still, I bet that Villy will be eyeing mine!!!
Jasline here is the gorgeous example of the foodie baker in you! Now the dilemma for me is do I want this for a snack or for breakfast. It is like a really kicked up coffee cupcake with fancy swirls. Take care, BAM
Awww thank you so much Bobbi! I think you can just have them both for breakfast and tea-time snack, so there’s no need to be in a dilemma!
Never know there is instant Vietnamese coffee otherwise I sure buy some during my trip to Vietnam . Your cupcake look so nice and good .
Thank you for the compliments Sonia, the Vietnamese coffee can be substituted with normal coffee, they’d still be delicious!
What pretty little cakelets! I love coffee and the Vietnamese flavor is intriguing! I must try to find some so I can make these. I have the same problem with piping a buttercream!
Thank you Smidge! It’s really hard to balance the sweetness and the consistency of the frosting… I wish someone will invent a not-so-sweet but pipe-able buttercream soon!
Definitely delicious looking treats. I love iced Vietnamese coffee with lashings of condensed milk, so tasty and creamy! These cupcakes certainly look the part and your cake batter looks so moist & moreish
Thank you! Actually I’ve never really drank a cup of traditional Vietnamese coffee before, hope I’ll get to visit Vietnam soon and drink a cup there!
i havent been seeing your posts on my wordpress reader. wonder what went wrong. anyway, these cupcakes looks beautiful! Lovely piping!
I love coffee baked goods!I can imagine that the mocha frosting would go so well with the coffee cupcakes.
Thank you for the compliments Jo! The coffee flavour really stood out and that’s what I loved about these cupcakes!
I think the reader problem is because I moved my blog to a new host and as it’s no longer connected to wordpress.com, all the subscriptions we’re lost
if you’d like, please re-signup at the “Foodie Follow” on the right side bar! 
thanks a million!
Wow that frosting makes it look even tempting, Love it
Thank you Raymund, I love them too
Yum…these look so good…especially that frosting and I love the little paper cups!
Thank you Laura! They are really delish
Hi Jasline, thanks for dropping by my blog. Nw i know what a lovely blog you have, gorgeous photos
) love the humour in your writing too. And the step by step photos are really helpful for a noob baker like me. Glad to be following your blog from now. Cheers 
Hi Esther, thank you for your compliments
You have a very lovely blog as well, I’m glad I managed to chance upon your blog! Have a great week ahead!
Your frosting is so pretty! I always screw up my frosting. How did you make such a pretty frosting?
Thank you for the compliments! I used a star-tip to pipe my frosting and Youtube some videos for help!
These cakes look so light. I made coffee flavoured cake once and it turned out a bit dense. Need to try your recipe soon.
Thank you Jayne. Hope you’ll like the recipe!
These look yummy! I’m obsessed with coffee in every way, so I’ll definitely take it in my cupcakes, thank you very much.
The frosting is piped so beautifully too.
P.S. I really like you’re moving heart “Pin It” button. How’d you do that?!
Thank you for the compliments!
Are you on a WordPress platform? I used a script to add the button, here’s the guide: http://www.uxde.net/2012/04/15/how-to-add-pin-it-button-with-images-to-your-wordpress-blog-without-plugin/
Hope it helps!
Hi there. Food on Friday: Muffins and Cupcakes is open for entries. This looks like a neat one! I do hope you link it in. This is the link . Please check out some of the great links there are already. Cheers
thanks for linking this nice one in to Food on Friday. There is now a great collection of muffin and cupcake ideas to check out! Cheers
Ps I have just signed up to follow your blog on Google Reader. A follow back to Carole’s Chatter would be wonderful – or have you already followed? Cheers
Love these cupcakes, my favorite flavors:D
Thank you Jeannie
I love coffee-flavoured cupcakes too!
Vietnamese coffee cupcakes with mocha cream frosting. Excellent idea! pinned it to try later.
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