Coffee and walnut cupcakes

The atmosphere in our house has been somewhat subdued lately. It started with Italy's humiliating defeat in Euro 2012 and the constantly leaden skies and autumnal climate are certainly not helping to lift our spirits. GL, who finds it hard to believe that it is actually summertime, is suffering from a lack of warmth and sunshine. Phone calls to Italy don't really help matters as everyone there complains about how unbearably hot it is and how they simply have to go to the lake or seaside in order to cool off a little in the water. When we mention the rain and the temperatures we've been getting here, they say they envy us and how they would do anything to have some cooler conditions. They don't fool us though, we know they don't really mean it...

 I made these toothsome little cupcakes in a bid to cheer GL up, coffee and walnuts being two of his favourite flavours. I initially thought of doing a classic iced coffee layer cake but that has become one of my mum's staples so I came up with these, a slightly more subtle and dare I say it, elegant take on the aforementioned classic (a perfect example of which can be found here http://bakinginfranglais.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/camp-coffee_08.html on the great Baking in Franglais blog and which is, incidentally, almost identical to the one my mum makes).



Anyway, I digress. The coffee flavour in the cupcakes comes from fiendishly strong espresso (a perfect excuse to include a photo of my beloved Gaggia, without which GL and I, coffee addicts that we are, would probably not be able to live in the UK) and a sprinkling of real fresh ground coffee, an idea that I picked up from Dan Lepard in the Guardian a few years ago. The two elements combine to give a distinctive, mellow coffee flavour without it being too overpowering. 

As GL prefers these without icing, I left half the batch as they are and I iced the other half with a coffee water icing. You could also top them with a traditional coffee buttercream.

 





As this month's letter is 'W' in the brilliant Alphabakes challenge by Ros from TheMoreThanOccasionalBaker and Caroline (this month's host) at Caroline Makes, I'm sending this as my entry. I'm also entering it into the Tea Time Treats Challenge, with the theme of Cake Stall Cakes, run by Karen of Lavender and Lovage (this month's host) and What Kate Baked.

RECIPE - makes 12 cupcakes

120g softened butter

120g caster sugar

120g self raising flour

half a teaspoon baking powder

2 large eggs

one very strong espresso, about half a standard espresso cup

half a teaspoon fresh ground coffee (dry)

50 g chopped walnuts

12-bun muffin tin lined with 12 cupcake or muffin papers

 Pre-heat the oven to 190°C

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Mix in the espresso and the ground coffee. Sieve the flour and baking powder and fold in. Lastly, fold in the chopped walnuts.

Spoon the mixture in to the cases, filling each case as equally as possible.

Put in the oven and bake for about 15-20 mins or until the cakes are cooked and golden brown on top.

Remove from the oven. Take the cakes out of the tin as soon as you can and leave to cool on a wire rack.

When completely cold, ice with water icing or buttercream (see note above) or just serve dusted with icing sugar.