pumpkin cranberry pecan bread

a.k.a. the perfect way to use up your leftover Thanksgiving ingredients!

How was your Thanksgiving holiday?  I hope it was wonderful!  Matt & I had a great weekend visiting his brother in Las Vegas.  My parents & in-laws came out to spend it with us too... it was awesome!

I don't know about y'all, but I am still full.  Probably because I stuffed myself silly with leftovers.  And ate pie for breakfast.  And ate pie for dessert.  Yuuup.  Needless to say, my stomach and I are definitely ready to get back into our routine.  This pumpkin bread is just the thing.  It's light, relatively healthy, and the perfect way to start the day.

While I was making the bread with my leftover canned pumpkin, I decided to throw in the rest of my leftover Thanksgiving ingredients too.  As my grandma always says, "waste not want not".  Does that even make sense here?  Anyways, I made the bread in mini loaf pans because we all know how I feel about mini things.  :)

Clear out your pantry and make this bread.  It's super delicious and would make a great holiday gift for family, friends & neighbors!  And now that Thanksgiving has passed, it's time for all of the holiday baking to commence!  What's on your list?

Pumpkin Cranberry Pecan Bread
makes 8 mini loaves or 2 full-sized loaves
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Ingredients:
For the Pumpkin Bread:
3 cups flour
5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 15oz. can of canned pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, whole or roughly chopped
1 cup chopped pecans

For the Streusel Topping (optional):
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold & cubed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease loaf pans.

To make the bread:  In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, pumpkin, eggs, oil, and orange juice.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.  Fold in the cranberries and pecans.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pans about 3/4 full.  

To make the streusel:  In a bowl, combine all ingredients using a fork, pastry cutter or your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle topping onto bread batter.

Place loaf pans on a baking sheet (to catch any drippings).  Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

*NOTES:
- You can use dried cranberries if you don’t have fresh ones.
- I used Tropicana Trop50 orange juice to cut down on extra sugar and calories.
- Baking time may be longer for full-sized loaf pans.

Source: adapted from Allrecipes.com

mini apple pies

How adorable are these?

Seriously, they are so cute!  I can't get over them!  (Haha, Matt just put on his headphones because I haven't stopped giggling and mumbling to myself about how cute these are.)  Clearly, I have an obsession with mini-sized things.  Tiny things are just so darn cute!

Anyways, with Thanksgiving being tomorrow and all, it's time to share an apple pie.  Last minute.  I know.  Sowwy.  To be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of apple pie.  Mainly because there's usually wayyyy too much filling and not enough crust.  Not that I dislike filling, I'm just definitely in favor of a higher crust to filling ratio.  Must.feed.inner.carbosaur.

So these mini apple pies.  They have the perfect crust to filling ratio.  Hooray!  The mini-mini apple pies are even more perfect.  And dare I say, cuter? :)  They're like, all crust with just a smidgen of apple filling.  Just enough to remind you that you are not, in fact, just eating a ball of pie crust.

I'll admit that I've never made a homemade pie crust before so this crust was the perfect one to start with.  It was so easy and yummy- two reasons why I will probably stick with this recipe.  Just make sure you read the recipe all the way through so that you know that the crust needs to be chilled before using.  Unlike me, who got to that part and threw a mini-tantrum (sadly, not cute).

Oh, I know that making the lattice topping looks a little tedious, but with a glass of wine and some Christmas music, it's totally fun!  And the end result makes the extra effort completely worth it!

I really hope that you give these mini pies a try.  I mean, who wouldn't want their own pie?  Topped with whipped cream or ice cream, they're heaven!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!  xoxo

Mini Apple Pies
makes 16 mini pies or 24+ mini-mini pies

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Ingredients:
For the Pie Crust:
3 cups flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup PLUS 1 tablespoon shortening, cold
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold & cubed
1/4 cup ice water
1 egg, for egg wash
coarse sanding sugar, optional

For the Apple Filling:
3 large apples, peeled & cored
1/4 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of salt

Directions:
To make the pie crust:  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except the water, using a fork, pastry cutter or your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Add in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.  

Divide the dough into two equal portions and flatten them into disks.  Wrap the disks in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

To make the apple filling:  Slice apples thinly and dice into small pieces.  In a large bowl, mix all filling ingredients.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease two cupcake pans.

After the dough is done chilling, roll out the dough to about 1/8” thickness on a lightly floured surface.  Using a round cutter larger than the cupcake well, cut out 16 circles of dough.  Using a pizza cutter (or a knife), cut out 1/4” strips for the lattice topping.  Re-roll the dough scraps as needed.  

Gently push each circle of dough into the greased cupcake wells.

Generously fill the pie crusts with the apple filling (mounded in the center) as the filling will shrink down while baking.

Beat the egg in a small bowl.  Brush the rims of the crusts with the egg wash.  Create the lattice topping over the apple filling and attach it to the bottom crust.  Brush the lattice topping with the egg wash and sprinkle with the coarse sanding sugar, if using.  Chill the pans in the refrigerator until the crust is firm (about 15-20 minutes).

Place pans on cookie sheets (to catch any drippings) and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the tops are golden brown.  Transfer mini pies to a cooling rack immediately.

Serve with  whipped cream or ice cream.  Enjoy!

Source: pie crust adapted from Not So Humble Pie, apple filling is my own

cranberry persimmon crisp

Persimmon?  What the heck is a persimmon?

That, my friends, is a persimmon.  Or persimmons.  Actually, if you want to get technical, they're Fuyu persimmons.  But whatevs.  Anyways, a persimmon is a fruit that originated in Asia.  There are two main types of persimmons; the crunchy kind (Fuyu) & the soft, jelly-ish kind (Hachiya).  I only like the crunchy Fuyu variety, which taste like a cross between an apple & pear, but not as juicy.  (Sorry for my less than stellar explanation.  Bottom line: they're good!)

When a co-worker gave me a huge bag of persimmons I knew I had to come up with some sort of dessert.  My thought process went something like this: persimmons taste like apples - apples make good crisps - I should make a persimmon crisp - but with what else? - oooh cranberries are Thanksgiving-ish & are pretty colored - and it can be a dessert play on cranberry sauce since most people don't really like it.  Win!

So I made a cranberry persimmon crisp.  It was amazing!  Topped with vanilla ice cream?  Even more amazing!  The tartness of the cranberries balanced perfectly with the sweetness of the persimmons. Matt ate an entire bowl & loved it.  I doubt he's ever had a persimmon or cranberry his whole life.

If you're looking for a unique dessert to serve on Thanksgiving, please make this crisp.  It's super easy to make, has gorgeous colors, and is really delicious!  I know I'll be making this every year.

Cranberry Persimmon Crisp

makes one crisp; serves 6-8

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Ingredients:
For the fruit layer:
1 pound (about 3) ripe Fuyu persimmons, peeled & sliced
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon red wine (any kind is fine)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
pinch of ground star anise or ground anise seed (optional)

For the crisp topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold & cubed

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the fruit layer:  Mix all ingredients in a baking dish.

To make the crisp topping:  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients using a fork, pastry cutter or your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle topping onto fruit layer.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the fruit layer is bubbly and the crisp topping is browned.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.  Enjoy!

*NOTES:
- If you can get the ground star anise or anise seed, I highly recommend you use it.  It really highlights the flavors of the cranberries & persimmons.
- The crisp topping yields a large amount.  Feel free to use as much as you want.  I used almost all of it.
- At the end of baking, I turned the oven to broil for 3-5 minutes to really make the topping crispy.

A Sweet Peony original

bourbon pecan pie brownies

Does combining a traditional Thanksgiving dessert with chocolaty brownie goodness make it the ultimate dessert?  Yes.  Yes it does.  I promise everyone will love these brownies... they're that good. And if there are any doubters, just tell them there's bourbon in it.  For some reason, alcohol usually gets people to want to try something they were otherwise unsure of.

I, for one, love pecan pie.  So when I saw this recipe on Jessica's blog, I knew I had to try it.  The bottom layer is a rich, super chocolaty, fudgy brownie.  The brownie is finished with a pecan pie-like topping spiked with a little bourbon.  Then I drizzled a little dark chocolate on top.  Did I already mention how good these are?

Side note: I am not a fan of bourbon.  I actually gagged a little when I opened the bottle.  But that also could have been because I was making these at 8:30 in the morning.  However!  The bourbon works really well in the pecan pie topping.  So even if you don't like bourbon, I'm proof that you can still like these.  :)  Definitely feel free to leave it out though.

Making these reminded me of baking with my mom when I was growing up (and not because of the bourbon).  Whenever my mom would make anything with pecans, I was the designated pecan chopper and I took my job very seriously.  I would chop one pecan at a time, halving it and then chopping them into little pieces. They were the most uniformly chopped pecans I have ever seen.  Looking back, it probably drove my mom crazy.  And I wish I could say that this happened when I was young, but I totally did this into high school.  So I have some OCD tendencies.  What?  Anyways, I still like chopping pecans by hand, so that's what I did for these, but applying more of a "rustic" chop.

I think these would be an awesome Thanksgiving dessert as a spin on a classic.  I hope you'll give them a try & I hope y'all enjoy them as much as I did!

Bourbon Pecan Pie Brownies
makes about 15 brownies
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Ingredients:

For the Brownies:
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour

For the Pecan Pie Topping:
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-2 tablespoons bourbon
2 cups chopped pecans

For the Chocolate Drizzle:
1/4 cup (2 ounces) chocolate chips (dark or semi-sweet)

Directions:
For the Brownies:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 6 x 10 baking dish.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla; set aside.

Add butter, cocoa, sugar and salt to a large heatproof bowl.  Place bowl on top of a saucepan filled with water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.  Heat the mixture over simmering water, stirring until the butter is melted and the cocoa is incorporated (about 10 minutes).

Remove the bowl from heat and slowly whisk in the egg mixture until combined.  Add the flour and whisk until combined and the batter is smooth.

Pour batter into prepared baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and maintain oven temperature.  Let brownies cool.

For the Pecan Pie Topping:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the corn syrup and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed.  Mix in the vanilla.  Add in the butter and bourbon, beating until combined.  Fold in chopped pecans with a rubber spatula.

Pour pecan pie topping over cooled brownies.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the pecan pie topping is set.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.  

For the Chocolate Drizzle:
Place chocolate chips in a ziploc bag. Microwave for 30 seconds. If not completely melted, microwave at 5 second intervals until melted.

Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag.  Drizzle chocolate on top of brownies.

Chill brownies in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours prior to cutting and serving.  Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.  

*NOTES:
- Since I never have bourbon, I just bought a tiny bottle (1.7 ounces) from the liquor store.
- Feel free to omit the bourbon from the pecan pie topping.
- Lightly toast the pecans before chopping to enhance the pecan flavor.  This is especially useful for pecans that were stored in the freezer or refrigerator.
- I did not wait until the brownies were completely cool before adding the pecan pie topping and baking.  They were fine.
- However, I highly recommend chilling the pecan pie brownies for at least 2 hours prior to cutting.

Source: adapted from How Sweet It Is

pumpkin cupcakes

Okay.  Remember when I said I wouldn't bake any more cupcakes this month?  I didn't even last a week.  What is wroooong with me?  To be fair, I wasn't planning on posting about these.  I made them for a function at Matt's work, and when I tasted them, I kinda figured I shouldn't keep these from you.

These are the best pumpkin cupcakes I've ever had!  Super light & fluffy, but not too pumpkin-y. And the cream cheese frosting makes these even more amazing.  But seriously.  We all know cream cheese frosting always makes things better.

Since it's almost Thanksgiving (by the way, where did the the year go?  I mean, how is it almost Thanksgiving already?), I think these cupcakes would be a great dessert alternative to the usual pies. Plus, they're way cuter than pies.  But not as cute as Maverick.  I can't believe I'm just now getting around to sharing a picture of him!  Anyways, everyone, this is Maverick.  He is the sweetest, most adorable Pomeranian ever and my constant source of laughter.  :)

Back to the cupcakes.  Please make them.  Now.  :)

Pumpkin Cupcakes

makes 16-18 cupcakes

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Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour (spooned & leveled to measure)
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, at room temperature
½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
¾ cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line two cupcake pans with liners.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt & spices.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Lower speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed.  

Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk in two batches and mixing just until incorporated.

Add pumpkin puree and mix just until combined.

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frost with cream cheese frosting (recipe below).

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but cool
8 ounces (1 block) cream cheese, cold
5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3-4 teaspoons clear vanilla extract (to help maintain bright white color)

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and cream cheese on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar.  Add in vanilla and blend until moistened.  Increase mixer speed to medium and beat frosting for 2 minutes until smooth & fluffy.

Frost cupcakes as desired.

Source: cupcakes adapted from Brown Eyed Baker, cream cheese frosting is my own

brown sugar cupcakes

Yup.  I'm back with another cupcake recipe.  I just can't seem to stop baking them.  They're just so fun & the perfect little dessert.  I promise not to make another one this month.  Errr... at least I'll try.

A few months ago, Matt & I went to a cupcake bakery in Santa Monica called Yummy Cupcakes.  I let Matt pick which flavor we were going to try that day & he picked out their brown sugar cupcake.  And y'all, it was reallllly good.  So good that Matt kept asking me to come up with my own version.  Like constantly asking me.  I finally got around to baking up my own version.

Ever taken a bite of something & couldn't help but dance?  Well, these little goodies will make you break.it.down in your kitchen.  Or maybe that's just me since I'm known to have random dance parties.  Usually by myself.  Sometimes in my underwear... wait, people totally do that right? Moooving on.

For these brown sugar cupcakes, I took basic vanilla cupcakes and topped them with a brown sugar crumble.  When they came out of the oven, I poked some holes in them & brushed them with a brown sugar glaze. And then I topped 'em off with a vanilla buttercream & some gold sprinkles (to resemble the brown sugar).  The verdict?  Matt said they're his new favorite.  I guess that means they're pretty good. ;)  I hope you'll give these a try!

*
I come from a proud military family as the daughter of a retired-Army officer, sister of an active-duty Army officer & sister-in-law of two active-duty officers, one Army & one Air Force.  On this Veterans Day, I'd like to say THANK YOU to all of the Veterans & active-duty military for your service to our country.  I am thankful for all of the freedoms I have & thank you to all who have fought to protect it.

Brown Sugar Cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes

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Ingredients:

For the brown sugar crumble:
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold & cubed

For the brown sugar glaze:
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon water

For the cupcake:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a cupcake pan with liners.

To make the crumble:  In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients using a fork, pastry cutter or your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Set aside.

To make the glaze:  Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, whisking until smooth.  Set aside.

To make the cupcake:  Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Lower speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed.  Add vanilla and mix until combined.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the milk and mixing just until incorporated.  
Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full.  Top with the brown sugar crumble & lightly press the crumble into the batter.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes & spoon on the brown sugar glaze (some might drip down the sides but that’s okay).  Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frost with vanilla buttercream (recipe below).

Vanilla Buttercream
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened but cool
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract (to help maintain bright white color)
1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk (if needed)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, cream butter on medium-high until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar.  Add in vanilla then increase mixer speed to medium-high, beating 2-3 minutes and scraping the bowl as needed.  If the frosting is too thick, add heavy cream or milk 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.  If the frosting is to thin, add powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time until it thickens.

Frost cupcakes and decorate as desired.

Source: cupcake & buttercream adapted from How Sweet It Is, brown sugar crumble adapted from Food Network, brown sugar glaze is my own

spiced apple chips

I think it's fairly accurate to say that apples are the fruit I have eaten most in my life.  I was the kid at school that got apple slices with their lunch instead of fun things like cookies or chips or pudding. Even now, I eat an apple almost every day.  You just can't beat biting into a crisp, juicy apple!

I absolutely love Fuji apples.  They were the only apples we ate growing up.  But this fall, I discovered Honeycrisps & man, was I missing out!  They are my new favorite (with Fujis coming in at a close second).  Matt has even started eating apples daily because of the Honeycrisp!

I love how the apples naturally slice with a star!

Since we've had an abundance of Honeycrips at home (I stocked up because their season ending soon), I decided to make some apple chips.  If you've never had an apple chip, please try them! They're really good & crunchy and make a great alternative to eating a regular apple.  They're a good, portable snack & I think they would be awesome on top of a salad.  Mom Bonus: you can pack them in your kid's lunch so they can pretend like they're eating chips like all of their friends.  ;)

Spiced Apple Chips

makes about 4 dozen chips

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Ingredients:

3 Honeycrisp apples (or any apple you like)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of sea salt (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt (if using) in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Cut off both ends of each apple and slice very thinly (use a mandoline slicer to make this super easy!).  Remove any seeds from the apple slices.

Place apple slices on prepared baking sheets.

Lightly sprinkle apple slices with the spice mixture and rub it in.

Bake for 45 minutes.  Flip apples slices over and bake for another 45-60 minutes (or until crispy). Remove from oven and let cool completely (the apple chips will continue to crisp as they cool).  

Enjoy!

*NOTES:
- You can omit the spice mixture and bake the apple slices plain.
- Additionally, feel free to add whatever ratio of spices to suit your tastes.

Source: adapted from A Cozy Kitchen

chocolate espresso cupcakes

Hi there!  I’m sorry I’ve neglected the blog this week.

*sigh* But it’s been a rough week.  Long story short, I’ve been at my job almost 2 years and let’s just say I’ve been ready to leave since I started.  I know jobs have ups and downs but this job has been a constant down that I’ve just learned to deal with.  This week has brought it to a new low.  I know that I’m very lucky to have a job but at what point do I draw the line?  At the end of the day, I am always excited to get home and get in the kitchen.  Baking is my ultimate stress therapy.

When I’m having a bad day, I always crave coffee & chocolate.  Coffee for the caffeine boost & chocolate for the mood boost.   Since I’m having a bad week, I made these chocolate espresso cupcakes.  The perfect pick-me-up in a perfect little bite.

Seriously, they are awesome cupcakes.  They’re super moist & light with the right balance of coffee & chocolate.  I made these minis since making them tiny & cute makes me happy!  (But it also makes them dangerous because I can eat like 5 of them before even realizing it.)  And the frosting.  Ohhhh my goodness.  It’s amaaaazing!  I could just lean on the counter & eat it with a spoon… which I did… and then I had to make more frosting.

I actually thought about calling these Mocha Chocolata cupcakes, but then it got me singing the Moulin Rouge song which got stuck in my head so I changed my mind.  Aaaand it just happened again when I typed it out because apparently I can't spell it unless I sing it haha.

Anyways, please make these right now.  They’re perfect anytime you need a little pick-me-up.  Or just anytime period.

Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes

makes 12 cupcakes

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
1 1/3 flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a cupcake pan with liners.

Dissolve espresso powder into the brewed coffee.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In a measuring cup, combine the milk, brewed coffee-espresso mixture and vanilla.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  With the mixer speed on medium, add the egg and beat until combined.

Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in two batches,  alternating with the wet ingredients and mixing just until incorporated.

Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Frost with espresso buttercream (recipe below) and decorate as desired.

Espresso Buttercream
makes enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 teaspoons espresso powder
1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but cool
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
chocolate covered espresso beans (optional)

Directions:
Mix the espresso powder into the vanilla until dissolved.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes until very light in color and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl once.  Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar.  Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip the frosting until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.  Add in the espresso-vanilla mixture while continuing to beat on medium-high until completely incorporated.

Frost cupcakes as desired.

*NOTES:
- You can find espresso powder at specialty food stores like Williams-Sonoma & Sur la Table.
- I used instant espresso (found at the grocery store) because I like the little flecks of espresso in the frosting.

Source: slightly adapted from Brown Eyed Baker