Mochaccino Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 3/4  cup  butter
• 3    eggs
• 1-3/4  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 3/4  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  milk
• 1/2  cup  strong brewed coffee, cooled
• 2  cups  sugar
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla
• 1  cup  dark, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate pieces
• 1  recipe  Coffee Buttercream
• 30    creme-filled rolled wafer cookies, such as Pirouettes
•     Unsweetened cocoa powder or ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Grease and flour thirty 2-1/2-inch muffin cups (or line with paper bake cups). In a medium bowl stir together flour, the 1 cup cocoa powder, the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine milk and coffee. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in chocolate pieces.

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups.

4. Bake about 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

5. Using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, pipe Coffee Buttercream onto cupcakes. Insert wafers. If desired, dust with additional unsweetened cocoa powder. Makes 30 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.

Coffee Buttercream: Allow 1/3 cup butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in 3 tablespoons strong brewed coffee, cooled, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gradually beat in 3 cups additional powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in additional coffee until buttercream reaches a spreading consistency. Makes about 2 cups.