Chocolate is delicious, coffee is wonderful…. add some rum and you have a flavor combo that is bound to have adults clamoring for seconds! These Chocolate Kahlua Cupcakes are rich, flavorful and delicious! If you’d prefer not to include alcohol, feel free to adjust the recipe (as described below) into Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes.
To make these cupcakes, you’ll first need a batch of my favorite Chocolate Cupcakes.
Prepare the cupcakes as directed (in the recipe linked above), bake and then transfer to a cooling rack.
While the cupcakes are cooling (but still warm), use a toothpick to poke 5-6 holes in each cupcake. Use a pastry brush to brush Kahlua onto the tops of each cupcake. Once you have brushed each cupcake with Kahlua, go back and do one more “coat” on each cupcake. As an alternative, you could brush the cupcakes with espresso coffee.
Once cupcakes are fully cool, and the Kahlua (or espresso) has had time to soak in, frost the cupcakes using the recipe below.
Props and details~
I used a Wilton 1M tip to frost the cupcakes. If you need any help with frosting cupcakes, I have a full post (with a video) on How to Frost Cupcakes.
As a decorative (and delicious) topping, I added a few Valhrona Chocolate Pearls. I found these at Whole Foods Market.
Happy Baking!
How to Make Chocolate Kahlua Cupcakes
Chocolate Kahlua Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa best quality available
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract best quality available
- 1 cup boiling water
Frosting
- 12 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 sticks
- 4 oz cream cheese 1/2 block
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons Kahlua/coffee liqueur adjust to your tastes, in place of Kahlua, use 1-2 tablespoons espresso coffee, cooled
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk as a second choice
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.
- Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don’t worry, this is right).
- Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)
- Bake cupcakes for approximately 18-22 minutes.
- Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
Frosting
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until fully smooth.
- Add cream cheese, and continue to beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Add cocoa powder, and beat until well combined.
- Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, while the mixer is running.
- Add vanilla, then 2 tablespoons of Kahlua (or espresso) and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Add additional Kahlua if desired.
- Beat until all liquid is fully incorporated and frosting is smooth and fluffy.
These look amazing!!!
This is my idea of a perfect cupcake! I could never stop at just one. YUM for sure!
Oh my! This looks so beautiful and thanks a ton for putting the alcohol-free substitution…
Um, yes, yes, and yes. I’m ALL over this.
LOOKS SO YUMMY :):)
Cupcakes are not made only for kids right? I mean, adults can enjoy a lot this kind of deserts, so why don’t add Kahlua sometimes? Great recipe…!!!
Chocolate and Kahlua, one of those perfect combinations! Wow, these sound delicious! I hadn’t thought of using cream cheese in the frosting, but I bet it is wonderful. Can’t wait to try these out. And I love those pearls!
Looks yummy, does the frosting require being stored in the fridge? thanks
So pretty! I have a Kahlua frosting recipe but it does not call for cream cheese. I can see how silky it makes this frosting.
Ooooh. I need to get my hands on some of those Valhrona chocolate pearls. They look gooood.