Triple Shot Mocha Cupcakes

These mocha cupcakes have a lot of coffee flavor, you might want to cut back a bit if you don't want such a strong flavor.

• Ready In: 28 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• Cupcakes

• 1  cup coconut milk
• 3  tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 1⁄3 cup  oil
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  cup flour
• 1⁄3 cup cocoa powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

• Frosting

• 2  egg whites
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 6  ounces butter, room temperature
• 2  tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1  tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1  small  amount water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In microwave safe bowl, heat coconut milk until hot. Stir in espresso powder.
3. Whisk sugar, oil, and vanilla into coffee mixture.
4. In separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and beat until few lumps remain.
5. Pour into liners, filling each with a scant 1/4 cup of batter. Bake 18-22 minutes.
6. Let cool completely before frosting.
7. To make frosting:
8. Add sugar and egg whites into bowl of electric mixer. Fit over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
9. Remove bowl from heat.
10. Using the whisk attachment on stand mixer, beat meringue on medium speed until cool, about 5 minutes.
11. Switch to paddle attachment and add butter a tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat on medium-high until very smooth and thick, 6-10 minutes. If the buttercream curdles or separates, keep beating and it will come together again.
12. Add a small amount of water to the espresso powder. Add espresso powder mix and cocoa powder to frosting. Beat until smooth.