White chocolate mocha cupcakes
The theme for this month’s Cupcake Hero is coffee. Since white chocolate mocha is one of the favorites of the judge this month, I decided to make white chocolate mocha cupcakes. After making these cupcakes, I wasn’t satisfied with the flavor… To clarify, everyone loved the taste of this cupcake, they just didn’t taste white-chocolate-mocha-ey. They tasted gingerbread-ey. I plan to make another cupcake to enter into the Cupcake Hero.
White Chocolate Mocha cupcake (adapted from White Chocolate Cupcake in Crazy about Cupcakes – original recipe shown below with my changes in Italics) – makes 24
2/3 cup milk
1 Tbsp white vinegar
2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips – I used 4 oz white chocolate + 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 cup water – I omitted the water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp instant espresso, divided
Preheat oven to 325. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.
Combine the milk and vinegar in a cup. Set aside for at least 5 minutes. Combine the vanilla extract with 1/2 Tbsp instant espresso and set aside.
In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Combine 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips and the water in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until melted, stirring continuously. Here, I used a double boiler to melt the 4 oz of white chocolate.
Add the vanilla and white chocolate mixture to the creamed mixture.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt and 1.5 Tbsp of instant espresso.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk-and-vinegar mixture, beating for 1 minutes after each addition. Fold in the remaining white chocolate chips. Note: to prevent the chips from all sinking to the bottom of the cupcakes, roll them around in a bowl with 2 Tbsp flour prior to adding them to the batter.
Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan.
For the White chocolate buttercream, I used the same recipe that I have used before for the White Chocolate Blueberry cupcakes I made last summer. I sprinkled the cupcakes with some ground nutmeg. I think this may have also contributed to the gingerbread-ey flavor.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Jen – these look phenomenal! I am pretty sure I could eat the entire batch of your cupcakes in one sitting. Thank you so much for helping Krystal and Eric celebrate Cupcake’s arrival!
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:21 pm
These were definitely dangerous. People were fighting over the last one at the party I took them too.
They look delicious! Love that little cupcake stand.
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:22 pm
I got it at Home Goods. Isn’t it super cute?
Nutella frosting?! Yes please!
Awww Jen, these are so gorgeous and a great way for you to get back in your baking habit!! Did you know that I had a big nutella phase during cupcake’s pregnancy…I need this frosting in my life!! Thank you for participating in my virtual baby shower. XXOO
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:23 pm
You definitely need this frosting in your life. Even if you just make it to eat with a spoon. It’s SO good. Good luck with the upcoming arrival of your cupcake! (my sister is pregnant and refers to her little one as her nugget!)
These look wonderful and that nutella cloud frosting sounds phenomenal!!
I used the nutella cloud frosting on my birthday cake last year and I was blown away at how perfectly the name matched the texture! I love how perfectly smooth and fluffy it is. And yours looks absolutely perfect on top of that cupcake!
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:23 pm
I know – isn’t it the perfect name for this frosting. It’s amazing.
I’d also fill these with Nutella, and use a chocolate stout cake… mmmm…
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:24 pm
YUM! That’s a great idea.
Gorgeous cupcakes! It’s hard not to want a nutella cloud frosting! I just made cupcakes for the first time in awhile too, I forget how relaxing and fun cupcakes can be!
You had me at ‘Nutella’, Jen! Beautiful cuppies!
So cute and absolutely perfect!
Oh man…nutella frosting? These sound so good!
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:25 pm
It tastes much better than it sounds. Trust me. I’m debating going to get the leftovers out of the fridge to snack on some…
Oh goodness, these look dangerous 😉 loving the nutella frosting!
beantownbaker — May 8th, 2013 @ 8:25 pm
They’re definitely dangerous. I was glad I took them to a friend’s house.
Those cupcakes are perfect!!!
Do i have to have a paddle and stand mixer? I only have a regular hand mixer at the moment.
beantownbaker — November 24th, 2013 @ 6:02 pm
A hand mixer probably would work just fine.