One of my resolutions this year was to give up Starbucks… every. single. day. Delicious, but uber expensive. Ask my mint.com account š To make things easier we started using our coffee maker in the office and I brought in some fun coffee cups from home…for the most part, this resolution = big time success.
Until last week. Damn those happy hour frappuccinos and the sun being out! It totally broke my will power… mmmmm frappuccinos! So tasty! Yes please to caramel and coffee and javachip. Mmmmmm javachip. I think it’s my fav. Who doesn’t love the coffee flavor with those tiny little chocolate chunks, topped off with whipped cream and then drizzled with chocolate sauce? Well, I guess if you don’t like it I’m not sure if we can be friends. That coffee stuff is serious business around here š
So… I was feeling pretty inspired after having a few too many frappuccinos last week. These cupcakes were pretty phenomenal, if I do say so myself. The only thing I will do differently next time, is drizzle a little bit of chocolate ganache over the buttercream, to really get that frappuccino effect.
I don’t really have a go-to chocolate cake recipe (I know, I know… I should!) BUT I do have a go-to brownie recipe. You all have seen it before… This is the same recipe that I used for the Mini Brownie Cupcakes a while back… it’s my fav. It’s just might be the most requested cupcake in my house… and that’s really saying something since I bake, a lot. I modified the brownie recipe a bit, just by adding a small Starbucks Via packet to the batter to give it a slight espresso flavor and instead of using regular chocolate chips, I used mini chocolate chips in the batter & for the topping… hope you like!
Javachip Brownie Cupcakes (Recipe Adapted from: For the Love of Food)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 1/4 cups Sugar
- 4 Eggs
- 1 1/4 cups Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tbs Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/2 cups Flour
- 1 cup Mini Chocolate Chips
- 1 small Starbucks Via Ready Brew packet (Italian Roast/Extra Bold)
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Line 16 Cupcake tins with paper liners.
- In a medium sized bowl melt butter for 30-45 seconds in the microwave. Add the sugar and melt the mixture for another 1-2 minutes, just until it’s hot.
- In a standing bowl mixer crack the eggs, add cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add Starbucks Via packet and mix until combined.
- Add the butter & sugar mixture to the standing bowl mixer.
- Add flour to the mixture and then combine. Mixture will be thick, but combine until smooth. Add the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
- Fill liners with batter, 1 full ice-cream scoop.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes.
- Let cupcakes cool for a few minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Mocha Buttercream
- 16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 lb. confectioners’ sugar
- 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 large Starbucks VIA Ready Brew packet (Mocha flavor)
- 5 tbsp. heavy cream (or more to get the consistency you desire)
To make the frosting add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed 1 minute until smooth. Blend in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla and instant coffee. Add the heavy cream and whip on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Garnish with a few mini chocolate chips … enjoy!
Happy Wednesday, Javacupcakers!
xo-Jenn
These sound Awesome!!
Thank you ma’am!! š
I really want to make these but can’t find a large packet of VIA for the frosting, even on the Starbucks website. Any idea how many small packets make one large? Thank you, Amy
Hi Amy! A few tablespoons of any instant coffee would work as well š the large packet I have was from a sample packet that I picked up at starbucks, but no worries if you can’t find it… you could also try 2 small packets of starbucks via to taste! please let me know what you think of them… happy baking! š
When you say “Small VIA packet” are you referring to the single servings that come in a 50 count box?
Yes, I used a Starbucks VIA packet, which is a single serving. š They come in different count boxes and I’m not sure which count this came from, I believe I actually just got it as a sample.
Hi Amy,
Espresso powder works the same way as well. 1tsp-1tbsp dissolved in hot water then added to the frosting. If you don’t have instant coffee or espresso powder, you can use strong coffee, but it just won’t have a strong of a coffee flavor and the consistency will be a little off. Play around with things until you figure out how you like it the best!!! <3 Good luck! -Betsy
I just made these and couldn’t find the dutch pressed cocoa, but used regular unsweetned cocoa powder instead and google how to subsitute….(you add jsut a bit of baking soda…..1/8tsp per each 3tbs cocoa i believe) and they were DELISH!!!! thanks for the recipe!
I just tried these for my daughters birthday and it was a disaster. They raised up so high and ran all over the muffin tins and my oven. My oven was on fire from them dripping over the ten onto the rack and heating element. They were 4 times bigger than a normal cupcake. I double checked all the ingredients. I bought the Dutch cocoa, the Starbucks instant coffee. I followed the recipe exactly as written and it is a nightmare. I am happy to hear it worked well for the rest of you even with the wrong ingredients. Maybe it was the higher altitude. Very disappointed it ruined the Starbucks theme for my daughter’s party. Now we have Denver Bronco bought cupcakes which is all they had at the store.