Jackie’s Coffee Buttercream
When my friend, Jackie, got married, she asked me to make the cakes for her wedding. She and her husband to be wanted cupcakes rather than a large showpiece cake. When I asked them what flavors they were interested in, Jackie immediately responded with “Coffee and Chocolate.” The chocolate part I had already nailed ages ago, but I worried about getting a coffee flavor in. I decided to, therefore, write this recipe for a Coffee American Buttercream.
I will say that it was trickier than it sounds to get right at first. Usually when you make flavored buttercreams, you make the base buttercream and then add to it to get your flavors. When I did this with coffee, however, it added way too much liquid to the mix to get the coffee flavor I wanted. I, therefore, went back to the drawing board and added instant espresso powder to the milk that I normally add to the recipe. This did the trick and thus a recipe was born.
Note that to make the cupcakes pictured, you need only make My Favorite Chocolate Cake recipe then top with this buttercream and a single chocolate covered espresso bean!
Remember, you don’t have to be a professional chef to make magic in the kitchen!
Joe the Blue Wizard
Jackie's Coffee Buttercream
Ingredients
- 4 sticks (450 g) Butter, softened
- 6 cups (720 g) Powdered Sugar
- 2 pinches Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp. (5 mL) Vanilla
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) Milk
- 4 tsp. (8 g) Instant Espresso Powder
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together espresso powder and milk until powder is dissolved.
- Place all ingredients including the espresso mixture in a large bowl.
- Beat at low speed until powdered sugar is just incorporated.
- Increase speed to medium high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy.
- Use as desired.
