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Chocolate and mocha cupcakes

What better way to someone's heart than cupcakes?!  Here are 2 recipes for some delicious chocolate ones that I made for Easter, and delicate mocha cupcakes that I made for a baby shower.

Because it is such a versatile and tasty cream, I used the same buttercream recipe for both, in pastel colors for the occasion.

Chocolate butermilk cupcakes :

1/2 cup buttermilk (you can also make it from 1/2 cup warm milk and 1 teaspoon vinegar)
1 large egg + 1 yolk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup hot water with 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee 

Preheat oven to 350° F / 180° C. Line a cupcake mold with parchment paper or cupcake liners.  Mix wet ingredients in a bowl (except hot water and coffee, leave that for the end).  Fold in dry ingredients. Then add hot coffee mixture. Mix about 2 minutes. Pour into molds and bake for about 15-18 minutes or until the middle has risen and is cooked.  Check with a toothpick that should come out clean. Set aside to cool. 
Mocha cupcakes (I made these based on a butter cake recipe adding coffee)
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
3/4 cup milk
5 eggs, separated
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 tablespoon instant coffee in 1/4 cup hot milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350° F / 180° C. Line cupcake molds with parchment paper or use silicone molds.  In a bowl, beat egg whites until you get stiff peaks. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until you get a light yellow color.  Add egg yolks, milk, vanilla.  Sift in flour, baking powder and salt.  Fold in egg whites a spatula at a time. Then fold in hot coffee mixture. Pour into molds and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the middle has risen is cooked.  Check with a toothpick that should come out clean. Set aside to cool. 
Cream cheese frosting (you can make this the day before):
2 8-oz softened cream cheesse
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
A couple drops of red gel food coloring to get a light pink color, blue, green, etc.
Chopped candies (I used chopped M&M's or pink white chocolate), fruit or sprinkles (optional)

In a bowl, whip the cream until you get soft peaks.  Add the confectioners sugar about 1/4 cup at a time, then add the vanilla. Fold in softened cream cheese (soften in the microwave about 20 seconds, allow to cool before folding into whipped cream). Whip another minute or so until the cream has thickened. Refrigerate at least an hour.   
To dress the cupcakes, separate the cream into 3 or 4 bowls according to colors you want to work with.  For example, I made light pink, blue, green and cream (no color added). Then fill 3 or 4 pipings bags with these colors, with different types of tips for a variety of textures.  Then pipe rose swirls or drops of cream and decorate with a topping if you prefer (chopped candies, sprinkles...).  
Enoy, everyone !

Some useful links for baking equipment or similar objects in photos :

Cupcake liners
Cupcake liners, plain color
Wooden serving tray
Vintage cake stand rustic metal style
3-tier cake stand
Stand mixer

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