The Crafty Cultivator

A couple years ago, I bought The Pioneer Woman’s second cookbook. It quickly became well used and well loved. My most favourite recipe in it HAS to be her Coffee Cake (Literally). I made it as my birthday cake that year. I’ve made it a couple times since, and I will be making it many more times in the future. The cake bakes up so light and fluffy.

The best part? The recipe is on her website as well. (Well a few things are different, but the recipe for the cake doesn’t change. How could it? It is amazing as it is!)

Coffee Cake (or cupcakes) – Literally 

2 cups Flour

2 cups Sugar

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 cup Unsalted Butter

1 cup Boiling Water

3 Tbsp Instant Coffee Granules

1/2 cup Buttermilk (or add 1/2tsp lemon juice to 1/2 cup regular milk a couple minutes before adding it to the batter)

2 eggs

1 tsp. Baking Soda

2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

Preheat Oven to 350F

Prepare your pans. For cakes- butter the pan well, then flour it. You don’t want anything sticking. For cupcakes – place paper liners in, and you are ready to go. This recipe should make 24 cupcakes, BUT full disclosure, I made 12 cupcakes and a small cake instead. (I wanted to try out my new Dala Horse cake pan I got for Christmas)

Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan on the stove.

Once melted, add in the coffee granules, and then the boiling water. Stir until this comes together.

In a seperate, large bowl, Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.

Once the butter/coffee mixture is ALMOST boiling, Add it to the sifted flour and sugar, Stirring until it starts to resemble a batter.

In another seperate bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Then add to the other large bowl. Mixing until everything is a pretty liquid batter.

Measure evenly sized amounts into your prepared cupcake pan. Make sure to only fill them to 3/4. You don’t want them to dome over at the top. Flat topped cupcakes are easier to decorate.

Bake for 10-20 minutes (more or less even… just stay close to your oven and keep your eye on them). They will be done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Because I was using a couple different sized pans, they were all different cooking times, and I forgot to note how long the cupcakes took.

Let these cool completely before trying to frost them.

Since I was making this into cupcakes this time around, I wanted a lighter and fluffier frosting for them. So I went and scoured my favourite cake blogs, and then adapted them to something coffee flavoured. The secret is in the whipping of the butter… You beat it for 8-10 minutes until it gets all shiny and pale and fluffy. Don’t skimp on the whipping time – That is what makes this frosting so amazing. Recipe is mostly adapted from Sweetapolita

Whipped Coffee Buttercream

1 1/2 cups Unsalted Butter

3 cups Icing Sugar

2 Tbsp Cream (more if it seems to dry… but give it a chance to really mix in before adding too much)

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

2-3 Tbsp Instant Coffee Granules. (Depending on your love of coffee)

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for a good 8-10 minutes

Add the Icing Sugar, then turn the speed up very  slowly, or every surface in your kitchen will be covered in a fine dusting of powdered sugar.

Once the sugar and butter come together, add in the vanilla and cream, beating until everything is a consistent consistency. Then add in the coffee granules, mixing until it is combined.

Then place into a piping bag, and pipe swirls onto your cooled cupcakes.