Coffee Buttercream

I spent some time searching for an easy coffee buttercream recipe, but the only ones I could find involved either raw egg whites, or was a Swiss meringue buttercream. I just wanted a regular coffee buttercream to frost the next batch of chocolate cupcakes that I would remove from the freezer.

However, I could not find a regular buttercream that was coffee-flavored. It would be easy to create one myself (I presume I would just dissolve instant coffee in milk and add that to the frosting), but I did find one in one of my cookbooks, Chocolate, Coffee, Caramel: A Cook’s Book of Decadence.

I’m posting it here in case someone else is in need of a simple coffee buttercream.

Coffee Buttercream
adapted from Chocolate, Coffee, Caramel: A Cook’s Book of Decadence
Makes enough to frost 12-18 cupcakes

Ingredients
2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 tablespoon hot water
6.5 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 ounces sifted confectioners’ sugar

Method
Dissolve the coffee in the hot water, then set aside and let come to room temperature before using. Using an electric mixer, mix the butter, coffee mixture and vanilla in a bowl until well combined. Gradually add the icing sugar, beating until smooth.

Not the best photo, but just wanted to give you an idea of what it looks like. The frosting is pipeable, but I just used a knife to spread it on. Thank my daughter for the chocolate jimmies!