Java Chip Cupcakes (no endorsement from Starbucks implied)

The other day I drove out to Malibu to hike to a waterfall (aka face my death numerous times) and have dinner with some friends from Heidelberg. It was a fantastic day, but... well, that's for another post. Anyway, since I spent the day exhausting myself and didn't get to my car until around 10:45, I wasn't sure how conscious I was going to be for the hour and a half drive back home.

About halfway down PCH I decided that I was going to get some coffee as insurance against falling asleep at the wheel (although I didn't feel too sleepy at that moment, I wasn't exactly feeling energetic, and I didn't want to take my chances). I stopped at a gas station and bought some cheap cinnamon coffee at the convenience store before I set on my merry way.

So anyway, the coffee worked, in case you were wondering. But since I really only sipped on it (not wanting to over-caffeinate myself before bedtime), I had a lot of coffee left over, and I wanted to do something creative with it. Drinking it would be a good idea. But I had a better one.

Coffee-flavored cupcakes.

But then I got to thinking about how I could take it one step further. I mean, coffee cupcakes would be good, but there had to be a way to make them fattier tastier. Then I remembered everyone's favorite Starbucks drink (and by everyone I mean people who don't really like coffee coffee and really just like sugary drinks. Which is not necessarily a bad way to be, unless you're asking your arteries): the Java Chip Frappucino, aka chocolate, sugar, cream... oh yeah, and some coffee.

After some experimentation, this was the result:

Behold the Java Chip Cupcake in all its delicious, caffeinated glory.

I doctored up a basic white cake recipe to be slightly chocalatey and very caffeine-y, and I liked what I tasted, so I decided to share with you.

Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs (or 1/2 cup egg substitute, which is what I used to save on calories)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup (ish) chocolate pieces (or mini chocolate chips)
1/2 cup coffee

Directions


1.

Cream together butter and sugar.

2.

Add vanilla and eggs. Mix until nice, creamy, and smooth.

3.

In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and cocoa.

4.

Chop up the chocolate into small pieces (if necessary).

5.

Mix in the flour mixture and the chocolate pieces.

6.

The best part... add the coffee :)

The finished batter is so delicious you could just eat it with a spoon!

7.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, then let cool.

Frosting

Ingredients:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup marshmallow creme
1/3 cup powdered coffee drink mix (i used a white chocolate caramel cappuccino mix, but I'm sure     that just about any other flavor would work just as well).
1/4 cup milk

Directions:

Pretty simple. Combine all the ingredients until smooth. Add milk until it's the texture you want.

Frost the cupcakes (when they're cool, of course) and then they're ready to eat and DELICIOUS!









Some suggestions for variety:

• Add oreos instead of chocolate chips
• Top with whipped cream instead of frosting, just like a blended drink at your favorite coffee shop
• For extra decadence, drizzle chocolate sauce over the top
• For even more decadence, chocolate ganache would be great injected into the middle or as a layer  in between the cupcakes and the frosting.