Coffee & Macadamia Cupcakes
These cupcakes could work with a multitude of different nuts but I decided to veer away from the classic walnut and use my favourite, the macadamia. The sponge is deliciously fluffy with a mellow coffee flavour without being too sweet. The light airy icing packs an extra coffee punch and topped with toasted macadamias and a dusting of bitter chocolate (I used Willie’s Venezuelan Black 100% Cacao), these are the ultimate treat for the discerning coffee fanatic!
Makes 10-12 cupcakes depending on case size
Ingredients
- 175g unsalted butter, softened
- 175g light brown soft sugar
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 175g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp decent instant coffee dissolved in 3 tsp boiling water
- 1 tsp milk
- 50g macadamia nuts
- (25g toasted macadamias optional garnish
- (grated chocolate optional garnish)
For the icing
- 375g icing sugar, sifted
- 120g unsalted butter, softened
- 4tsp decent instant coffee
- 20ml boiling water
- 20ml full-fat milk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a muffin tray with 12 cases.
- Place the macadamia nuts on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool slightly before roughly chopping.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.
- In a free-standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for a good 5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add a tablespoon of flour before slowly adding the egg, mixing all the time until fully incorporated.
- Now fold in the flour until just incorporated before adding the coffee and milk.
- Finally fold in the macadamias and stir until combined. Do not overmix.
- Spoon the mixture into the cases, filling 2/3 full.
- Place in the oven for 17-20 minutes until springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
- Leave to cool completely on a cooling rack.
For the icing
- In a cup, pour the boiling water over the coffee and stir to dissolve before adding the milk. Leave to one side.
- Cream together the butter and icing sugar until it starts to come together.
- Slowly add the milky coffee mixture and beat on a high speed for a couple of minutes until light and airy.
- Pipe or spread onto the cupcakes.
- Top with toasted macadamia nuts and a light grating of chocolate if desired.
The amount of icing here is quite generous as everyone likes a different amount on their cupcakes. If you do happen to have any leftover, why not bake a few chocolate cupcakes and top with the remaining icing to make mocha cupcakes?
For more cakey treats visit littlebearcakery.blogspot.com
I made these yesterday, and they are fabulous! I did have to halve the amount of frosting, but it was more than enough. Thanks for posting such a lovely recipe!