Mocha Buttercream Frosted Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes

You should use genuine unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. Dutch-process cocoa powder is not the same as regular cocoa powder since it is not acidic, and if you use it, other components in the recipe will need to be modified.

If you want to understand more about the distinctions between cocoa powders and when to use them, read this post: What kind of cocoa powder should I use?

You could, but it’s unlikely that it’ll be strong enough to give the cupcakes a coffee taste.

Yes. Instead of brown sugar, you may just use plain granulated sugar. Thus, instead of one cup of granulated sugar and one cup of brown sugar, use two cups of plain granulated sugar.

Unsalted butter is preferable since you won’t be adding an unknown quantity of salt to the recipe, and the water content in salted butter might vary somewhat.

If you can’t get unsalted butter, use salted butter instead, but leave out the salt that the recipe asks for.

Use light metal cupcake pans if possible. When using dark-coated cupcake tins, keep an eye on the timer since the cupcakes may bake a bit faster.

Fill the muffin pans no more than halfway full because if you add too much batter to a cupcake liner, the tops of the cupcakes will bake up flat. Yet, this has no effect on the flavor.

These may be baked a couple of days ahead of time, but be sure to store them in an airtight container since cupcakes dry out more faster than cake.

Storing them in the refrigerator may also cause them to dry out faster, so if you have a location that isn’t too heated, keep them at room temperature but firmly covered. These cupcakes may be frozen as well. (For further information, see the question below.)

Yes, when the cupcakes have cooked and cooled, you may wrap them in plastic wrap, then foil, or place them in a freezer bag and freeze them for up to a month.

Further information on freezing cakes and cupcakes can be found in this post: How to Freeze Cakes and Cupcakes.

Remove them from the freezer and place them at room temperature to thaw while still wrapped. After defrosted, remove the wrappings or remove them from the freezer bags before frosting. Cupcakes freeze best without icing.

These cupcakes may be kept at room temperature for many days if stored in an airtight container.

These cupcakes will keep covered for several days at room temperature and up to 6 days in the refrigerator. (But, in my experience, the refrigerator seems to dry out cupcakes quicker.) Frozen cupcakes will keep in the freezer for approximately a month.

Yes. I have not explicitly tried this, but there is no reason why it wouldn’t work, and this recipe is similar enough to my other cake recipes that it should be acceptable.

Bake the batter in two 8-inch round cake pans at 350 degrees F. Check for doneness after approximately 35 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few wet crumbs.

It is preferable to serve these cupcakes at room temperature.

If you want to boost the chocolate taste, add 1 cup micro chocolate chips to the dough.

A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few wet crumbs.