these are not far out but there the fricken bomb.

black magic chocolate cuppy cakes
3 eggs
1.5 cups buttermilk
1.5 cups brewed americano espresso
3/4 cups vegetable oil
1 TB vanilla

2.75 cups all purpose flour, sifted
3 cups brown sugar
18 T cocoa powder (1 cup cocoa sifted)
1/2 T baking powder
1 T baking soda,( i use a bit less otherwise it tastes a bit tinny)
1t salt

whisk the wet ingredients
sift the dry ingredients and combine into the wet

bake at 350 degree unitl done.

mousse topping
14 oz semi sweet chocolate, vahlrona, or callebaut, calletes
6 oz, whiping cream
2 T oil
1T espresso
1 T vanilla
2 cups cream whipped to soft peaks

boil the 6 oz. of cream whisk it into the chocolate, add the vanilla the coffee
whisk in the whipped cream

or you can use a ganache.
1 litre of whipped cream brought to a boil
1 K(2.2#) dark calletes (callebaut semi sweet chocolate)

boil the cream pour over chocolate and stir until combined, you can dip them immediately and get a nice sheen or you can wait until it cools a bit and spread it on like icing and it hardens but still looks whipped.

have fun and good luck!

MOCHA MUFFINS with CHOCOLATE GANACHE and EXPRESSO BUTTER CREAM.

I think these are to die for. I make minis cupcakes with this recipe because the buttercream frosting is rich for me. However my friends like the regular-sized cupcakes, this recipe makes about 24 regular size. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR CONTEST

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon corn syrup
4 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ( 1/8 stick) butter, cut into small pieces

1. In a saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil.
2. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate and butter. Let stand for a couple of minutes. Whisk until smooth.



EXPRESSO BUTTERCREAM

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
1/4 cup egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened just enough to get an imprint when pressed with a finger

1. Dissolve the espresso powder in a tablespoon of water, making a paste.

2. Place the egg whites and sugar in the metal bowl of an electric mixer. Set it over a pan of simmering water, whisking until the sugar has dissolved (so you don't feel any grains between your fingers). Be careful not to let the egg whites cook at this stage; constant beating is important.

3. Remove from the heat. Add the cream of tartar and, with an electric mixer using a whip attachment, beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.

4. Add the butter a tablespoon at a time on slow speed. It may look like undercooked scrambled eggs for a while, but just keep beating it on low until it comes together into a smooth buttercream, about 15 minutes.

5. Add the espresso paste. If you want a stronger espresso taste, make more paste and add.



CUPCAKES

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
4 ounces (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Put cupcake liners into mini-muffin tins.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and espresso powder.

3. In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs slowly, beating well after each addition

4. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk to the butter mixture, about half at a time, mixing slowly. Do not over beat; mix only until well blended.

5. Fill each muffin tin three-quarters full.

6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the cupcakes spring back when you touch them.

7. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool completely.

ASSEMBLY

Put a small dollop of chocolate ganache in the center of each cupcake, leaving the cake exposed around the edges. (You can use a small teaspoon or a pastry bag; warm the ganache slightly over some simmering water if hardened.)

Put some espresso buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Start piping at the edge of each cupcake, working in circles to reach the center.

Here is another recipe that is less work and equally good. I have a thing for Chocolate and Expresso. LOL.

Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes with Mascarpone Filling (makes 30 cupcakes)

Chocolate Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup whole milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup brewed coffee (with 2 tsp instant espresso powder dissolved in the coffee)

Espresso-Mascarpone Filling
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp finely ground espresso beans
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Chocolate Glaze
2 cups (6 ounces) semi or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 tbsp (3 ounces) unsalted butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

CUPCAKES

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 30 standard (4 fl oz capacity) muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs, egg yolk, milk, oil, vanilla and coffee and beat on low speed until well combined.

Fill your prepared muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake about 18-23 minutes (toothpick test). Leave cupcakes in pan for 5 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely on cooling rack.

FILLING

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the mascarpone, milk, vanilla and espresso until fluffy. On low speed, slowly beat in the sugar until smooth. Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Insert tip into the top center of cooled cupcake and dispense about 2 tsp filling into the cupcake

GLAZE

Combine chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until well combined about 2-3 minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Frost the filled cupcakes with the warm glaze.