I figure we have a lot in common, you and I. And this means you’ve got a bookshelf… or FIVE… full of cookbooks. You may even have it alphabetically organized or arranged by color. You can clean out your closet like a champ, but would never even dream about going through your cookbook collection. (Gasp!) Your husband/loved one/concerned family member may ask if it’s really necessary you add “just one more” to your Amazon cart and the answer is always: Yes. Duh.
Seriously why do they even ask???
Truth is, we can never have too many cookbooks to sift through for inspiration. While regular people read novels on the beach, we read cookbooks for pleasure and inspiration.
Simply Beautiful Homemade Cakes. This is the most beautiful cookbook I own from the pastel pinks and blues to the magically towering cakes, stunning food styling, and endlessly tested recipes by Lindsay Conchar herself. Lindsay is the blogger over at Life, Love, and Sugar. If you ever need an inspiring (not to mention delicious) cake or cupcake idea, she’s your gal. Her cookbook was released yesterday and I had the pleasure of receiving an early copy. I giddily turned each page, my stomach grumbling louder and louder, and finally decided on a flavor combination that was too epic to pass up.
Friends, MOCHA NUTELLA CUPCAKES.
I feel like Lindsay was channeling us directly with this recipe.
Together? Goooooooood.
I’ve never made a coffee flavored cupcake before. Have you? I was especially thrilled because I had all of the items on hand. Nothing too tricky here as far as ingredients go: butter, sugar, flour, eggs, milk, the usual gang. Lindsay uses only egg whites in a lot of her cupcake recipes, something I’ve picked up on in the past few years. They create a super fluffy cupcake while egg yolks typically weigh things down. You’ll need 3 egg whites for today’s recipe. One ingredient you may not have on hand, but is worth a trip to the store: instant espresso.
Instant espresso is what gives these coffee cupcakes their spot-on flavor; we use it in these milk chocolate mocha blondies, espresso chocolate chip cake, and peppermint mocha cookies, too. It’s typically in the coffee aisle of major grocery stores. Instant coffee—a dark roast—could be used, but keep in mind that it tends to taste a little sour. Instant espresso powder is your best bet and you can add a teaspoon or two to any batch of brownies, chocolate cake batter, or cupcake batter to intensify the chocolate flavor.
Mix the instant espresso powder with a little hot water to make an ultra concentrated liquid, which will go directly into the batter.. The aroma will remind you of your favorite cafe and bakery. Definitely taste test-worthy. You won’t regret it.
Lindsay’s Nutella frosting looked incredible, but I used the last of my shortening in about 17 pie crusts I prepped for November. (Just you wait!!!) So I simply used butter instead. If you’re interested, I have a completely separate post for my beloved Nutella frosting. You can use it on anything and everything!
Sprinkles for good measure and a raspberry for color. These cupcakes are all set!
I’m a fan of this frosting to cupcake ratio. ↑
I’m also unbelievably excited to find a cupcake that is the perfect combination of fluffy + soft + moist + flavorful. Typically you sacrifice here and there, but these mocha nutella cupcakes are completely spot-on. And so is the rest of Lindsay’s book!
These easy mocha Nutella cupcakes have it all! They're moist and fluffy topped with creamy Nutella frosting.
