Decadent, soft and light, these Coffee cupcakes are made without butter, eggs or milk. The ingredients are simply mixed in one bowl, baked, then topped with a fudgy coffee frosting. And yes, the fudgy coffee frosting is free from butter and milk too 🙂
Which type of coffee is best?
I recommend instant powdered coffee (not coffee beans) for this recipe. It blends easier into the batter as well as the frosting.
If your instant coffee consists of large granules then I suggest you grind it into a powdered form before incorporating into your batter and frosting.
You can use an electric coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to get your coffee granules to a powdered form. Or simply place the granules in a thick plastic bag and pound it with a rolling pin until it is finely powdered.
If you have large Instant coffee granules like this, simply grind it to a powdered form.
Once ground, your large instant coffee granules should look like this before adding into the batter and glaze(frosting)
What type of sugar to use?
For the batter, either white or brown sugar is fine to use.
I personally prefer brown sugar in these cupcakes because of the slight hint of caramel flavor it adds to the cupcakes.
However if you only have white sugar, then go ahead and just use white. Your cupcakes will still be perfectly delicious 🙂
How to prevent cupcake liners sticking
Have you ever had that experience when most of your perfectly baked cupcake sticks onto the inner liner? I definitely have, and not happy about losing some of that cupcake goodness. So here's what I do:
Simply spray the inner paper liners with non stick cooking spray or brush lightly with melted butter before filling with your batter.
Once baked, the paper liner peels of easily. No more sticking! Works like a charm every time.
Simply spray the inner paper liners with non stick cooking spray or brush lightly with melted butter before filling with your batter.
Coconut oil in the frosting
- What does coconut oil look like? When you buy a container of coconut oil, most of the time you will find it in a solid form. Ensure that it is unflavored or neutral. To use in the frosting, the coconut oil must be melted to a liquid form.
- Melt your coconut oil:To do this, simply scoop the coconut oil into a microwave safe bowl. Melt it for about 1 minute or until there are no solid pieces in the oil. Or you could melt the coconut oil in a small pot on low heat on the stove .
- Measure AFTER melting: Measure your coconut oil for the recipe after it has been melted. If you have melted too much of coconut oil simply, pour back the excess into your coconut oil container. It will solidify again once cooled.
- Combine into your frosting: Coconut oil in liquid form is combined into the frosting. When mixed it has a smooth thick glossy texture.
The coconut oil does not affect the taste of the frosting, it just creates that amazing fudgy texture.
It is spread onto the cupcakes in this form. As the coconut oil cools in the frosting it solidifies producing a fudgy texture.
Coconut oil in liquid form is combined into the frosting. When mixed it has a smooth thick glossy texture.
How to make the frosting without the coconut oil
If you do not have coconut oil, simply leave it out of the frosting. Your frosting will still be smooth, rich and delicious, I promise.
The only difference will be the texture. Without coconut oil, your frosting will remain as is when mixed, but will not have a fudgy texture.
If you do not have coconut oil, simply leave it out
The only difference will be the texture. Without coconut oil, your frosting will remain as is when mixed, but will not have a fudgy texture.
Allow the cupcakes to cool
Before tasting: Once baked remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before tasting. As the cupcakes cool, the coffee flavors intensify, and THAT is exactly what you want to taste.
The most difficult part, I know 🙂 But trust me on this one.
Before frosting: Give it another 20 minutes or so until completely cool before frosting. You dont want your delicious frosting to melt by topping on warm cupcakes.
When to prepare the frosting
It's best to use the frosting immediately after preparing. It is much smoother and easier to spread over the cupcakes. This is especially if you are using coconut oil in your frosting.
More delicious cupcakes and muffins
Coffee cupcakes (no butter, no eggs no milk)
For the cupcakes
- 2 Tablespoons instant coffee powder see notes
- 1 cup water regular tap or bottled water at room temperature is fine
- 1 cup white or brown sugar see notes
- ⅓ cup neutral flavored oil like canola, sunflower or vegetable
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 ¼ cups cake OR all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda bicarbonate of soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the glaze
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup liquid coconut oil measure after melting (see recipe notes)
- 3 Tablespoons hot water
- 1 Tablespoon instant coffee powder or use according to taste
See notes for glaze WITHOUT coconut oil
To make the cupcakes
- Whisk the coffee and water together a large bowl just until the coffee has dissolved.
- Add the sugar, oil and vanilla extract and lemon juice and whisk for about 30 seconds to combine.
- Add sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and salt. Whisk until just combined (about 30 seconds) Do not overmix. Overmixing can produce dense textured cupcakes.
- Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
- Spray the inside of the paper liners with non-stick cooking spray or brush lightly with melted butter. This is optional, but is really helpful in preventing the cupcakes from sticking to the inside of the liners once baked.
- Fill the cupcake liners up to ⅔ full.
- Bake in a preheated oven of 356° F / 180° C (160° C fan) for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Do not overbake as this can also result in dense textured cupcakes.
To make the frosting.
- Combine the powdered sugar, liquid coconut oil, instant coffee powder and hot water in a bowl.
- Mix well with a rubber spatula to form a thick and smooth glaze.
- Use a spoon or spatula to spread the glaze over the cooled baked cupcakes.
- I recommend instant powdered coffee (not coffee beans) for this recipe. It blends easier into the batter as well as the frosting.
- If your instant coffee consists of large granules then I suggest you grind it into a powdered form before incorporating into your batter and frosting.
- You can use an electric coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to get your coffee granules to a powdered form.
- Or simply place the granules in a thick plastic bag and pound it with a rolling pin until it is finely powdered.
- To do this, simply scoop the coconut oil into a microwave safe bowl. Melt it for about 1 minute or until there are no solid pieces in the oil. Or you could melt the coconut oil in a small pot on low heat on the stove.
- Measure AFTER melting: Measure your coconut oil for the recipe after it has been melted. If you have melted too much of coconut oil simply, pour back the excess into your coconut oil container. It will solidify again once cooled. It is spread onto the cupcakes in this form.
- As the coconut oil cools in the frosting it solidifies producing a fudgy texture. The coconut oil does not affect the taste of the frosting, it just creates that amazing fudgy texture.
- If you do not have coconut oil, simply leave it out of the frosting. Your frosting will still be smooth, rich and delicious, I promise.
- The only difference will be the texture. Without coconut oil, your frosting will remain as is when mixed, but will not have a fudgy texture.
Rebecca says
THESE ARE THE BESTTTTT! thank you for the recipe. I needed a no dairy no egg recipe and then my friend also loves coffee. It was great with no alaterations or substitutions!
The Gardening Foodie says
Hi Rebecca, Thank you, and you are welcome 🙂
I am so happy that these cupcakes turned out well for you 🙂