Coffee Cupcakes with Mocha Ganache and Mascarpone Cream

I came across this delicious coffee-inspired recipe at LaBelle Cuisine. It creates a cupcake dessert that looks like an little espresso drink! You can substitute 6 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder & 1/4 tsp baking soda for 6 tbsp dutch-process cocoa powder. This recipe makes 30 cupcakes, however you could halve the quantities to make fewer and bake in espresso cups as we have done here to make a stunning dessert!

INGREDIENTS:

Chocolate coffee cupcakes
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 cup instant coffee powder
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Mocha ganache
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup coffee beans, crushed
8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped

Mascarpone cream
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

PREPARATION:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 30 standard muffin cups with paper liner. Combine the milk, cocoa, coffee and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, constantly whisking, until the cocoa and coffee have dissolved. Let cool and pour into a liquid measure.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk mixture in three batches, ending with the liquid.

Fill each muffin cup halfway with the batter. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, to make mocha ganache, combine the heavy cream and coffee beans in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat, cover and let infuse for 10 minutes.

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan and bring back to a boil. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and pour the hot cream over it, stirring slowly, until the ganache is smooth. Spoon enough ganache over each cupcake to fill the liners to the rim.

To make mascarpone cream, using a whisk or in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Add the mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar and whisk until smooth. Spoon the mascarpone cream into a pastry bag fitted with a medium round tip and pipe the cream on top of the ganache in a circle.