Cocoa-Coffee Cupcakes with Cocoa-Mousse Frosting

 I've been craving for anything chocolate for a couple of weeks and after having such a hard time going back and forth between brownies or cupcakes, I've decided (and the hubby’s vote) to make chocolate cupcakes!

The recipe I used is adapted from several sources I found on the net which I've changed and substituted with what I had in hand at the moment, and I also reduced the amount of some ingredients to what I only need to make 12 cupcakes. The result? The batter came out just perfectly enough for normal size 12 cupcakes. I was really happy with that, especially, the taste of coffee that gave these cupcakes the extra-caffeine-lift for my coffee obsession.

As for the frosting, I was not planning on that until after I finished baking which I was still thinking while waiting for the cupcakes to cool down if I wanted to put the frosting on them or not, or I could just making a blizzard snow on top with powdered sugar and that would be done. Hmmm…..

Ahh…let’s make chocolate mousse for the frosting…and why not sprinkling with white chocolate shaving and put the fresh raspberry cap on them, just for fun? ooh lalaa….sweet!

This chocolate mousse was very easy to make and took a little time to finish, with or without gelatin you decide, but I used gelatin because it helped hold the mousse together for a longer times. Therefore, this mousse recipe can be whipped up using fruit puree and served by itself or with fresh fruit, like raspberry or strawberry, for a luxurious cocktail party dessert in no times. I like that, don’t you? 

Okay, my craving for chocolate has been fixed. What’s next?

For cupcakes:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda 

1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract 

How to cupcakes: 

- Preheat the oven to 350’F. Line the muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat together in a medium speed sugar, butter, and egg for a minute and gradually add milk, brewed coffee, and vanilla extract and beat another minute.
- Slowly whisk in the dry ingredients in 2 or 3 batches. Do not over mixing. 

- Fill in each paper cups evenly only half of each cup (this batter made perfectly for 12-muffin pan).
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack. 

For the mousse:

1 cup heavy cream very cold
1/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/4 tsp unflavored gelatin powder
2 tbsp water

*Optional - White chocolate chips shaving and fresh raspberries for topping. 

How to frosting:

- In a small cup, sprinkle the gelatin over water and let stand for 3 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder and powdered sugar, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whip the very cold heavy cream with a medium speed for 1 minute, and then gradually add the cocoa and sugar mixture little by little (probably 3-4 batches) and blend well, add the gelatin mixture and continue whipping until the mixture become stiff peak, about 3 minutes. (I chilled the metal mixing bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes before I whipped the cream)
- Put the mixture in piping bag, if used (I didn't have a piping bag so I used the zip log bag) and start to frost the cupcakes as desire
 - Garnish with white chocolate shaving and fresh raspberries

Enjoy!

J