Coffee cupcakes with coffee buttercream are downright delicious. They're the ultimate coffee desserts! Coffee infused cupcakes filled with whipped mocha ganache and topped with coffee buttercream frosting.
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Coffee Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream
Who doesn't love a couple of good coffee recipes? These coffee cupcakes with coffee buttercream are downright delicious. They're the ultimate for coffee lovers. Coffee infused cupcakes that are filled with whipped mocha ganache and topped with coffee buttercream. Seriously.

If you missed my previous coffee recipes, there's the coffee syrup, coffee cookies, and coffee jello shots. The jello shots will knock your socks off. You need to run out and make them for New Years. They'll keep you wired and help you ring in the New Year.
Don't forget the most adorable Clear 4 Oz Espresso Cappuccino Mugs (aff. link) to put the shots in. It really makes them. Trust me, people will drive you crazy asking for the recipe and where they can find the little mugs.

The coffee cupcakes themselves are soft and spongy. Coffee has been infused into them, but what makes these cupcakes sensational is that they are filled with whipped mocha ganache and topped with incredibly rich coffee buttercream. I'm in love with the chocolate covered espresso beans so I threw some of those on top for the finishing touch.

More coffee desserts you'll want to try:
How to make Coffee Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream

Coffee Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 ½ tablespoons instant coffee
- 3 teaspoon water
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Ganache
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee
Buttercream
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 3 tablespoons instant coffee
- 3 teaspoons water
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 14 chocolate covered espresso beans for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in your cupcake pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the vegetable oil and granulated sugar. Mix until incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and eggs into the sugar mixture. Mix on medium until the eggs become pale. (about 1 minutes)
- In a small bowl, add in the instant coffee and water. Stir until all the granules are dissolved. Add into the large bowl.
- Add the sour cream into the bowl with the remaining wet ingredients. Mix until the sour cream in incorporated.
- Add in the baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour. Mix just until the flour is incorporated. The batter won't be super thick.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pans.
- Place into the preheated oven for 18 - 20 minutes or until done. Add a toothpick to the center of the cupcakes, if it comes out clean or with moist crumbs, it's done. If it still has batter on it, let it bake awhile longer.
- Set aside to let cool.
Ganache
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add in the milk chocolate chips, heavy cream and instant coffee. Stir to combine.
- Microwave for 1 minute. Stir until everything combines and becomes smooth.
- Place in the fridge for about an hour to cool down and thicken.
- Remove from the fridge and whip with a hand mixer until it lightens in color and becomes fluffy.
- Remove the centers of the cupcakes, but be sure not to go all the way through them. Leave a bottom so your ganache doesn't fall out.
- Add the whipped ganache into a piping bag or sandwich bag. Pipe the ganache into the center of the cupcakes. You can add a small mound above the cupcake for a surprise center of the buttercream. There should be some left over after filling all the cupcakes depend on how big of a hole you're filling.
- Set aside.
Buttercream
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the butter. Mix with the hand mixer to get the butter blended.
- In a small bowl, add the instant coffee and water. Mix until all the granules are dissolved.
- Add the coffee mixture and powdered sugar in with the butter. Mix until it comes together.
- Add in the milk and continue to mix for about 2 minutes. It will make the buttercream light and fluffy.
- Place the buttercream into a piping bag with a straight tip. Pipe swirls on the tops of the cupcakes.
- Top each cupcake with a chocolate covered espresso bean.
- Serve!
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
Jennifer Dawn says
You are speaking my language! I'm a big fan of all things coffee! These look delicious! We'd love to have you share this at our weekly link party! Hope to see you there! http://www.thelifeofjenniferdawn.com/2015/12/8-things-to-make-this-winter-and-little.html
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
Those cupcakes sound awesome! As a coffee lover, I'd be all over these. Love the addition of ganache filling too 🙂
Kelsey says
Ohh my goodness! These look fantastic! I am going to have to try them out! Thanks for sharing!
Jessy @ The Life Jolie says
Ok, these seriously look amazing! While I only really have one cup of coffee per day, I would go to town on these- definitely pinning to make 🙂
gigi says
Oh My! Those look outrageous! I love coffee! Pinning this to my Muffins and Cupcakes Board! Thank you! Its going to want me to snack a bunch tonite, but I'll be checking out your other recipes!
Raquel says
Saw these on the Delicious Dishes party and they look amazing Miranda! Pinning!
Beth says
Making these after my grocery run!
Wendy @ Living Almost Naturally says
These cupcakes look so yummy! Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty!
Shannon says
I'm not usually a huge fan of coffee flavored cupcakes but I've tried these and I'm a new fan 😛
Eden Passante says
These look so good! I love coffee anything, so I'm definitely on board with these!
Sharon montgomer says
These coffee cake cupcakes sound sooo good. Will be making some of these real soon.
Miranda says
Thank you Sharon! I look forward to hearing how they came out for you!
Amy says
I made these yesterday & what a hit! I just wanted a subtle coffee flavor so I did cut that in half in the buttercream & cupcakes. I couldn't find chocolate covered espresso beans anywhere (maybe next time I'll order online) so just garnished with a piece of a pirouette cookie & another drizzle of ganache. So beautiful & delicious! Thanks so much for this great recipe. I look forward to trying some others from your blog soon 🙂
Demeter | Beaming Baker says
The longer I stay at your blog, the hungrier I get. Is there a correlation here, Miranda? 😉 I think so! Lol. These cupcakes pretty much combine everything that's delicious in the world: cupcakes, coffee, chocolate. *Happy sigh* What more do you really need? Love that you also have so many other coffee recipes on the site. Score for coffee lovahs! 😉
Nance says
Very upset with the ganache it never thickened and would not whip up. I followed your directions. What went wrong? Terribly disappointed.
Miranda says
Hi Nance. I'm sorry you're disappointed. It may have needed longer to set up. It should have been pretty thick without chilling. If you made the recipe today and still have the ganache on hand, place it in the fridge overnight and whip it up tomorrow morning. It will probably need to be warmed slightly before whipping. I would say 20 - 30 seconds so it isn't a hard dense hunk of ganache. You'll want it incredibly thick but pliable.
Anamee says
Hi!
If I wanted to make a larger serving size for these amazing looking cupcakes, what would I need to do? Would you happen to know by any chance? I know it says 14 cupcakes but I was aiming to go for maybe ~50-60 for a family event!
Thank you!
Kayla says
How many cupcakes will it make? I wanted to do a stacked cake!
Miranda says
14 cupcakes
Rachel says
Can i substitute instant coffee with fresh brewed espresso instead? Would it be the same measurements as well?
Miranda says
You can as long as you use the same amount as the 2 1/2 tablespoons of coffee granules and 3 teaspoons of water yields.
Yna Mendoza says
Hi there! Can’t wait to make these for my grandma’s birthday. I just want to ask how much batter should I put into each cupcake? Thanks a lot! 🙂
Miranda says
Fill it a little over 1/2 way up on the cupcake liner.
Jamie says
These look beautiful and ii'm sure they will taste good too . Just wondering how you managed the heart shape with the ganache . TIA
Victoria Moore says
Oh my goodness!! Heavenly flavor, love everything about this recipe. I usually will change something but not with this one. I shared the cupcakes with 6 of my neighbors and they were all wanting more. Their responses were "seductive", "heavenly", "moist", "delectable". This is my #1 go to recipe now for any cupcake request I get. Thank you, Thank you for sharing! Definitely a Winner 🙂
Miranda says
SO glad it was such a hit!
Michelle says
Does it have to be instant coffee?
Miranda says
Yes
Jenn says
Just made these for a coworker who loves coffee. The only thing I changed is that I used half water and half French vanilla half and half to dissolve the instant coffee. And swapped it out completely for the milk in the frosting. I am telling you ABSOLUTE HEAVEN.
Madeleine says
Can I use regular coffee?
Miranda says
I wouldn't. I don't think regular coffee would give it enough flavor without adding way too much liquid to the recipe.
Madeleine Cogbill says
I like these cupcakes, they came delicious. I was wondering if I could substitute butter for the vegetable oil in the cupcake batter?
Stephanie says
Hi can I swap out the granulated sugar for brown sugar?
Miranda C. says
Yes! You definitely can switch to brown sugar. It will add a nice molasses taste. Enjoy!
Aolu says
Tasty. Less butter in the buttercream would have been better- it was a bit too soft and butter-tasting.
Joanna says
These would have been good if I hadn’t overcooked them! I turned the oven off but forgot to take them out for a while so they were a bit dry. I didn’t make the ganache as I didn’t have any cream. However, the buttercream was the best ever! I still have a pile of it left and could just eat it by the spoonful!
Bev Jerauld says
Made them to the exact recipe, turned out perfect. Piping not as good as yours. But still look good enough to eat. Even had the coffee bean. I have a lot of frosting left over for another day. My taster gave it 5 stars.
Vivian says
Hi
Delicious cupcakes. How can I convert to cake
Miranda C. says
Glad you like the cupcakes! Grease an 8" cake pan and add all of the batter. Bake for about 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. Let the cake cool and then frost! Enjoy.