SHF 11: Happy Anniversay Mocha Cupcakes

Talk about crisis, this post for the Sugar High Friday 11 (coffee) is so late. I meant to have an entry for SHF at the same time celebrate the 1 year anniversary of my blogging. I just hope Ronald would be kind enough to include this in the round up.

Yep folks, it's been 1 year (actually I started 8th Aug 2004) since I decided to join the horde of internet addicted people punching their keyboards for inane ramblings, recipes, experiences, rants and raves in the hope that at least 2 of their relatives and pets would read it. I have enjoyed this blogging experience immensely since. Not only did I get to record all my recipes (which is the raison d'etre of this food blog), hits and misses in the kitchen, but most of all I got to meet new online friends. Some of whom I've met, some I now harangue on the phone. ;)

As for the recipe, I took the easy way out (I'm in crisis remember!) and baked an easy cupcake also so I can stick a happy anniversary candle on it which J3 enjoyed blowing out over and over again. I ran out of paper liners so the soft moist cupcakes were practically falling apart when I pried them from the baking pans. :sigh: Even the icing joined in the crisis making itself overbeaten as reflected in all its lumpy glory. But that's okay, it still tasted great. Oh the cupcakes, I adapted them from a recipe in the Seasoned Cooking site. It's got that deep chocolatey-coffee flavour with a hint of cinnamon that I adore. Nice! And the delish icing is from the lovely Stel of Baby Rambutan. I just added just a tad bit more sugar and reduced the coffee. Regardless of all the problems, I would still do this cupcake again.


Mocha Cupcakes

1/2 cup boiling water
1 Tbsp instant coffee powder
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper muffin liners.
2. Dissolve instant coffee in the boiling water. Let cool and set aside.
3. Combine in a bowl - flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Mix well.
4. Beat the melted butter and sugar until well combined.
5. Add the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Beat until well mixed.
6. Using a spoon, stir in half of the flour mixure.
7. Then add all the coffee mixture. Mix.
8. Finally add the rest of the flour mixture. Stir until well combined.
9. Spoon into the lined muffin pans.
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
11. Remove from the pan and cool completely.
12. [Optional] Frost with your favourite icing.

Mocha Cream Icing

1 cup whipping cream - chilled
1 1/2 Tbsp caster sugar (extrafine sugar)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp instant coffee powder

1. Chill the bowl and metal whisk (or electric mixer attachment) first before using.
2. Mix all ingredients in the bowl and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until beater marks form (watch closely).
3. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat or the cream will be lumpy.
4. Spoon or pipe decoratively on cake.