Caramel Frappuccino Mini Cupcakes
Caramel frappuccino cupcakes are the next best thing to the a cup of Joe. It's a caffeinated caramel mini cupcake topped with more coffee!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup Unsalted Butter softened
- ¾ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ cup Brewed Coffee
- 2 tbsp Sour cream
- 3 tbsp Caramel more for the drizzle
- ¼ tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Espresso powder
- ¼ cup Dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 Large egg room temperature
- ⅓ cup Cake flour
- ⅓ All-purpose flour
For the Coffee Buttercream
- 1 cup Unsalted butter softened
- 3 Large Egg Whites room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Instant Coffee concentrated
Instructions
Caramel Frappuccino Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a mini cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Sift into a bowl the all purpose flour, cake flour, kosher salt, espresso powder, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the unsalted butter and sugar. Continue to mix until fluffy and pale (approx. 2 minutes). Next add in the egg. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are well combined.
- In a measuring cup add the brewed coffee, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Mix well. Alternate between adding the dry ingredients and wet ingredients into the bowl of the electric mixer. Continue this process until all ingredients are added.
- Fold the caramel into the cupcake batter. Mix well. Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full with the batter. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Coffee Buttercream
- Add water to a medium sized saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Next, add the egg whites and granulated sugar to an electric mixer bowl. Place this mixer bowl over the saucepan filled with water.
- Whisk constantly until all the sugar is dissolved. To check, rub the mixture between your finger-tips. If it feels like sand, the sugar is not fully dissolved yet. Continue to whisk. Once the sugar dissolves and the mixture appears to be opaque white remove from the heat. (If the mixer bowl is hot to the touch, allow the bowl to reach room temperature before continuing).
- Transfer the bowl to the stand of your electric mixer. Using the balloon attachment, whisk the eggs whites and sugar at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
- Turn up the mixer to a medium-high speed and fluffy-up the buttercream 1-3 minutes. Next, add the vanilla extract.
- In a small mason jar, add the instant coffee with a small amount of boiling hot water. Seal the jar with the lid and shake it up until a strong coffee syrup is reached. Slowly, whisk in the coffee syrup into the buttercream (small amounts at a time until satisfied with the taste).