Coffee Cupcakes Recipe with Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting

This coffee cupcakes recipe uses strong brewed coffee to bring out the best in chocolate and hazelnut. The coffee is not the star. It is the undertone that deepens every bite. You get 24 moist, filled cupcakes with a bold mocha frosting.

The recipe takes a shortcut with boxed cake mix. From there, every layer is made from scratch. The filling is a creamy hazelnut blend. The frosting is a chocolate hazelnut buttercream built around real brewed coffee. Make these for any occasion or for no reason at all.

Which Coffee to Use in This Recipe

The secret to a great coffee cupcakes recipe is the brew strength. You will not taste a strong coffee flavor in these cupcakes directly. The coffee acts as an undertone. It pulls out the sweetness of the hazelnut and adds depth to the chocolate. That means a weak cup will not do the job.

Brew your coffee at double strength for this coffee cupcakes recipe. Use a bold dark roast and cut the water by half. If you have an espresso machine, pull a double shot. Either works well. The stronger the brew, the better the result.

Our premium dark roast coffee is a strong pick for this recipe. It holds up to chocolate and hazelnut without disappearing into the batter. If you prefer convenience, our instant coffee dissolves fast and works well in both the batter and the frosting.

What You Need

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• Eggs and oil as called for on the box
• Brewed double-strength coffee (replace any water the mix calls for)

• 1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
• 2 tbsp half and half
• 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

• 1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 to 3 tbsp strong brewed coffee or espresso
• 2 cups confectioners sugar

How to Bake This Coffee Cupcakes

This coffee cupcakes recipe starts with the box mix. Prepare it per the directions. Swap out any water for double-strength brewed coffee. Bake 24 cupcakes and let them cool before filling.

Cream together the hazelnut spread, half and half, and confectioners sugar until smooth. Fill each cooled cupcake using a pastry bag and a filling tip. No pastry bag? Cut out the top of each cupcake, fill the cavity, and replace the top.

Beat the hazelnut spread, butter, and coffee together until smooth. Add confectioners sugar half a cup at a time. Beat at medium speed until combined, then increase to full speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Fill a pastry bag with the mocha hazelnut frosting. Pipe onto each cupcake. Dust lightly with confectioners sugar before serving. Serve with a fresh cup of Blackout Coffee on the side.

More Coffee Baking Ideas

If you liked this coffee cupcakes recipe, try our espresso brownies recipe. Bold coffee flavor baked into a fudgy brownie. Ready in under an hour.

, our flourless coffee chocolate cake is worth making. No flour, full chocolate and coffee intensity. Want coffee at breakfast too? Our coffee French toast guide shows you how.

All of these recipes work best with freshly roasted coffee. Browse our flavored coffee collection for roasts with natural chocolate and hazelnut notes. Or grab a bundle to try a few roasts at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

A bold dark roast brewed at double strength works best. You want enough coffee flavor to come through chocolate and sugar. Espresso or strong drip coffee both work. Weak coffee gets lost in the batter.

Yes. Dissolve instant coffee in hot water at double the usual ratio. Use it anywhere brewed coffee is called for. It works in the batter and in the frosting.

Use a small knife to cut a cone-shaped plug from the top of each cupcake. Fill the cavity with the hazelnut filling. Replace the top and frost over it. The filling stays hidden until the first bite.

Store unfrosted cupcakes at room temperature for up to 2 days. Frosted cupcakes keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

This coffee cupcakes recipe makes 24 cupcakes. Prep time is about 30 minutes. Bake time is 16 to 20 minutes. Allow cooling time before filling and frosting.

Dark roasts hold up best in baked goods. The bold flavor survives mixing with sugar and butter. Medium roasts work too. Light roasts tend to fade and lose their character in the batter.

Get the Coffee That Makes This Recipe Work

Great baking starts with great coffee. Browse our premium coffee collection and pick a dark roast worth baking with. Every coffee cupcakes recipe improves when the coffee is fresh and bold.

Roasted fresh in Florida and shipped within 1 to 2 business days of roasting. This coffee cupcakes recipe always tastes better with coffee that ships fast. Subscribe with the Blackout Coffee Club and save 19%.

Learn more about how we source and roast on our About Blackout Coffee page.

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