I am trying this recipe for a client who wants vanilla expresso cupcakes with a carmel buttercream frosting on top and this is a recipe she found.

So my question is do you think this recipe is calling for dark roast coffee grounds to be used after the coffee is brewed or before?

Thanks for your help.



3/4 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon dark roast coffee grounds
1/4 cup strong brewed, dark roast coffee
3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat butter on high until soft, about 30 seconds.
Add sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and coffee grounds in a bowl.
Measure out coffee and milk together.
Add about a fourth of the flour to the butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine.
Add about one third the coffee/milk mixture and beat until combined.
Repeat above, alternating flour and coffee and ending with the flour mixture.
Scoop into cupcake papers about two-thirds to three-quarters full.
Bake for 22-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

I don't know if it will matter too much... but looking at this recipe, I would use dark instant coffee grounds un-brewed.

It seems to me that the recipe means instant coffee not the inedible "grounds" as it states. You will whisk that with the flour, baking powder and salt. Next you measure 1/4 cup of strong brewed coffee and add 3 tablespoons of milk to that. This is a confusing recipe that's not really well written. I hope it yields good results for you. My espresso cakes use espresso powder, not coffee.

Thanks for the opinions. VERY HELPFUL

adonisthegreek1 WOULD YOU MIND SHARING YOR RECIPE FOR YOUR CUPCAKES?

Thanks

I grind my beans until dust and add to my cake, you don't notice them in the texture or crumb but it gives the cake a needed flavor boost, the brewed coffee to me isn't enough.

What would be the difference in using espresso powder?

Espresso powder explained:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-espresso-powder.htm

I would think the purpose of just 1/2 tablespoon of espresso grinds is to fleck the cake. Kind of like you would see a vanilla bean, it would be a light colored cake (1/4 cup coffee won't darken it too much) with the flecks. I wouldn't use instant grounds.

I used to work for a baker that used brewed coffee grounds, he said it boosted the chocolate flavor in the cake. This was back in the 70's (yikes) I've never tried it myself.