*note the above pictures were from the first batch of espresso cupcakes which were nice but weaker in coffee flavour, i was still working on the recipe! here they are darker and stronger!

Espresso Cupcakes

makes 9-12 depending on the size of your cupcake cases

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 110g / 4oz margarine or unsalted butter, softened
• 110g / 4oz vanilla caster sugar
• 2 medium size eggs
• 2tbsp strong espresso coffee, brewed and then cooled
• 1/4tsp cinnamon
• 110g / 4oz self raising flour

For the filling and topping

• 150ml double/heavy cream, whipped to form stiff peeks add a tbsp icing sugar to sweeten or to taste
• 100-150g your favourite type of chocolate, melted
• Icing sugar for dusting, optional extra

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F/180C/160C (fan). Line a bun tin with paper/foil cases. brew coffee and leave to cool.
2. In a large bowl, cream together your chosen fat and sugar until light, fluffy and creamy coloured. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and then slowly add them to the mixture in your larger bowl, whisk mixture continually to prevent it from splitting.
3. Sift flour over the mixture and gently fold preferably using a large metal spoon, when the flour is nearly all incorporated add the espresso and fold until mixture is a even colour.
4. Fill cupcake cases 2/3 full and bake for 15-20mins (mine were done at 18 minutes) they should be springy to touch and when you insert a cocktail stick in the center it comes out clean i.e. not sticky, a few crumbs are OK. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5. When cool, slice a little circle out of the top of each cupcake. Fill with a generous teaspoon of sweetened whipped cream replace lids, melt chocolate and drizzle over lids, leave to set and then dust cupcakes with icing sugar, using a sieve and from a height.

*Feel free to sprinkle a touch of cinnamon and/or cocoa powder onto the whipped cream centers before replacing the cupcake lids.