Super Easy Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Frosting

Cupcakes are one of my very favorite things to make...and eat! But they can be so time consuming that I don't make them very often. A friend invited us to their place for supper kind of last minute the other evening and I offered to bring dessert.

I didn't have very many ingredients in the house and wasn't sure what to make. And then I saw a chocolate cake mix and remembered some delicious chocolate coffee cupcakes I had made once. I decided to simplify it x10.

They turned out really great and everyone thought they were great! So I thought I would share them with everybody else that is busy but still likes yummy and gourmet looking things! I hope you love them as much as we did!

Chocolate Cupcakes​

You will need:

1 Cake Mix
Eggs
Milk
Butter, melted
Vanilla

Each cake mix is different, so the amounts of ingredients will vary according to your cake mix. Simply use milk instead of water, 1 extra egg and melted butter instead of oil, doubled, plus a tsp of Vanilla.

My cake mix called for: 1 cup water, 1/2 cup of oil and 3 eggs. So, I added: 1 cup milk, 1 cup butter, melted, 4 Eggs and 1 tsp. Vanilla.

Mix it all together and put into your lined cupcake pans and bake according to the package instructions.

While its baking mix up the frosting. I used my Mom's trusted buttercream frosting recipe with just a few tweaks to add a mouthwatering coffee flavor. I freely admit I would rather eat the frosting by the spoonful than a cupcake. ;)

Coffee Frosting 

4 cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup + 1 1/2 T Shortening
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 cup Hot Coffee

Start mixing everything but coffee - add the coffee in very slowly. Whip it up really good and it's ready to go! If you like as much frosting as cupcake {like me!} then you will want to double your frosting recipe. Here is the recipe for that:

Coffee Frosting {Frosting Lover's Version}

8 cups Powdered Sugar
1 cup + 3 T Shortening
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 cup Hot Coffee

Mix the same as above and pile it high on your cupcakes! I used a Wilton 2D tip to get the look I wanted. Garnish with a coffee bean or little bits of chocolate if you like. Now enjoy!!

P.S. You can use this recipe on any cake mix to give your cakes and cupcakes rich and delicious "from scratch" flavor!

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delights in his way. Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholds him with His hand. - Psalm 37:23 & 24

God bless your day, my friends!