Coffee and walnut cupcakes
Classic coffee and walnut cupcakes topped with coffee frosting, delivering rich, full flavor.
Ingredients
self-raising flour
110 g / 4 oz / 1 cup
caster sugar
110 g / 4 oz / 1/2 cup
margarine (softened)
110 g / 4 oz / 1/2 cup
baking powder
1 tsp
free-range eggs
2 large
instant coffee granules (diluted in 1 1/2 tbsp boiling water)
3 tbsp
walnuts (chopped, plus 12 walnut halves for decoration)
50 g / 2 oz / scant 1/2 cup
icing sugar (sifted)
200 g / 7 oz / 1 1/3 cup
instant coffee granules for icing (diluted in 2 tbsp boiling water)
2 tbsp
Instructions
1
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. Line a 12-hole muffin tin (pan) with cupcake cases (baking cups).
2
Mixing
Sift the flour and sugar into a large bowl, food processor or mixer. Add the margarine, baking powder and eggs, and beat really well until pale and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon of the coffee mixture. This may be enough – don't add the rest if you don't need to. You don't want the mixture (batter) to be too liquid. Fold in the chopped walnuts, and spoon the mixture into the prepared cases.
3
Baking
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
4
Icing
To make the icing, put the icing sugar in a bowl. Add the very strong coffee bit by bit. If the mixture is too stiff, add a few more drops of boiling water. If the coffee flavour is too strong for you, do dilute the mixture to your taste. Spoon the icing over the cooled cupcakes, and dot the top of each one with a walnut half.
