This combines two of my favourite festive bakes; a soft and light cupcake with a subtle coffee flavour topped with gingerbread latte buttercream frosting. This is the perfect festive winter bake and makes the perfect afternoon treats during cold and dark afternoons.
Start to make the light coffee flavour cupcakes. The basis of this cake is a simple sponge cake. To make this, you can use either the all-in-one method or the creaming method. The all in one method involves adding all of the cake ingredients to the bowl and mixed together. Or you can use the creaming method which starts with mixing the butter and sugar until creamy. Then adding the flour, eggs and milk. Mix everything together until completely combined.
For these cakes I use soft light brown sugar. This perfectly compliments the bake and helps to add a caramel flavour to the date cakes. This cupcake gets its coffee flavour from Camps coffee extract. This is widely available in large supermarkets, easy to use and lasts a really long time as a little goes a long way. This is made of a mixture of sugar, water, chicory extract and dried coffee extract. This recipe uses 1 teaspoon of Camp Chicory and Coffee Extract which creates a mild, light and sweet coffee flavour, but as always please feel free to add more or less to your recipe. Just be mindful as this can be quite sweet so adding too much may create something more sweet less coffee.
Once these are cooked and have turned golden brown, remove from the oven and cool in the tin for roughly 5 minutes. After this, remove from the tin and allow to cool fully.
Whilst waiting for them to cool start to make the gingerbread latte buttercream frosting. The base of this is my classic buttercream recipe. To make this, start to make a basic buttercream frosting. Mix the unsalted butter in an electric mixer until creamy. Next, add the icing sugar in two batches. I always recommend stirring the icing sugar with a spoon before using an electric mixer. This helps to prevent an icing sugar cloud explosion! Next, mix in the syrup, again blending everything together. This recipe only uses 1 teaspoon of syrup, but feel free to add more or less depending on personal preference.
For this recipe, I really wanted a subtle gingerbread flavour for the icing so that it wasn’t too sweet, sickly or overpowering. I wanted a really quick, accessible recipe that could be made by anybody. Which is why I chose to use gingerbread latte syrup. It worked so well, it was quick to make, tasted delicious and was definitely super simple. Keeping flavour consistency and the correct texture for the icing. I used the type of syrup that is used in making flavoured coffees. It’s accessible to buy, easy to work with and has a delicious flavour, perfect for buttercream frosting!
I like to pipe this on. The icing in this recipe is thick enough to hold its own shape which makes it perfect for piping. But if you prefer then you can just spread this on the top of your bake with a butter knife or the back of a spoon. I added on these little gingerbread shaped sprinkles for a little finishing touch.
Store any leftovers in a cool dry place for 3-4 days. I prefer these eaten fresh so make smaller batches but feel free to double the recipe for more cupcakes.
Ingredients
- CUPCAKE:
- 2 oz / 60 g Self Raising Flour
- 2 oz / 60 g Butter
- 1 oz / 30 g Soft Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Milk
- 1 teaspoon Camps Coffee Extract
- GINGERBREAD LATTE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
- 3 oz / 85 g Unsalted Butter
- 6 oz / 170 g Icing Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Gingerbread Latte Syrup - the type added to coffees
- 1 teaspoon Milk
- Sprinkles for decoration, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180*c/350*f/Gas Mark 4/160*c Fan Oven.
- Line a cupcake tin with cases and set aside.
- Place the butter, sugar, eggs, self-raising flour and milk in a bowl and using an electric mixture, blend until everything is fully combined.
- Mix in the Camps coffee extract, blending until well combined, and spoon the mixture into your prepared tin.
- Cook for 16 to 20 minutes, until golden brown but still light and fluffy. You can tell the cakes are ready when they spring back when lightly pressed. You could also insert a skewer into the middle of one of the cakes and if it comes out clean, then the cakes are ready.
- Once ready, remove from the oven.
- Allow the cakes to sit in the tin for roughly 5 minutes, then place on a wired rack to cool.
- Whilst waiting for the cakes to cool start to make the icing.
- Once cool, top with your favourite icing.
- Add the butter to a mixing bowl and using an electric mixer, blend until creamy.
- Add half of the sieved icing sugar to the bowl and using a spoon, gently stir together until just combined (this helps to prevent an icing sugar explosion!), before mixing with the electric mixer.
- Add the remaining icing sugar and milk and follow the steps above.
- Lastly add the gingerbread latte syrup and mix. Do not be afraid to overmix, you want this to be nice and smooth.
- This icing is thick enough to pipe if desired or can be placed on top of the cake in your chosen design.
- If using add a few sprinkles and enjoy!
Notes
Store any leftovers in a cool dry place for 3-4 days. I prefer these eaten fresh so make smaller batches but feel free to double the recipe for more cupcakes.
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