Mocha Cupcakes with Godiva Liqueur Chocolate Frosting

A recent ACOT poll decided which cupcakes I was to make next and the winner was these Mocha Cupcakes with Godiva Liqueur Chocolate Frosting. Oh WOW, did you ladies choose well!!

The cupcakes themselves are extremely moist and pillowy. The mocha flavor was there, but less obvious when the cakes were topped with the frosting. If you enjoy just a hint of the coffee flavor keep the recipe as is. If you prefer a more powerful coffee flavor I suggest adding a teaspoon of coffee flavored extract to the hot brewed coffee to make the 1/2 cup.

The frosting is TO DIE FOR. You probably need to like the flavor of the Godiva liqueur to enjoy this frosting. The amount of liqueur sounds like a lot but once it settles in with the other flavors it results in a really wonderful Godiva liqueur taste that doesn't overwhelm the chocolate.

Overall: two thumbs up from both Ryan and I!!!

Oh, and I topped them with chocolate covered espresso beans... you know... just for fun. :-)

Mocha Cupcakes
(from Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski)
makes about 16 cupcakes

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line 16 cups of a muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.

3. In a measuring cup, combine the milk and brewed coffee.

4. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined.

5. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

6. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about ½ to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15-18 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack and let cool completely.

Godiva Liqueur Chocolate Frosting
1/2 stick butter - room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 plus 1/8 cups cocoa powder
1 and 1/2 cups confectioner sugar
1/4 cup Godiva Liqueur

1. Sift together the sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl

2. Cream the butter and vanilla extract till fluffy

3. Aternate adding the dry mixture and the liqueur

4. If you need to make it thicker, add small amounts of additional confectioners sugar OR if you need to thin it a bit add a very small amount of milk