Irish Coffee Cupcakes

I saw this recipe in Martha Stewart’s magazine and thought they looked great.  Wouldn’t they be perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or a Kentucky Derby Party?

You can either sprinkle them with brown sugar crystals like in the picture, or with instant espresso powder. Either way, they’re delicious.

Irish Coffee Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes

Makes 15 cupcakes

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 T. instant espresso powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 stick butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs

For the Frosting

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 T. confectioner’s sugar
• 1 T. whiskey
• Instant espresso powder for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cupcakes: Whish together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour water over espresso powder; let cool. Combine espresso with milk. Beat butter and both sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at at time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with espresso-milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour (batter may look broken).

Fill 15 cups (use two 12-cup muffin tins) three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20-22 minutes. Let cool; turn out cupcakes from tins.

Make the frosting: Whisk together cream and confectioners’ sugar until medium peaks form. Add whiskey; whisk until slightly stiff peaks form.

Top each cupcake with 2 T. frosting; dust with espresso powder.

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