Espresso Cupcakes

This past Thursday, I was invited to attend a casting call in London for the show "Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard". I wasn't sure what I was going to make and had lots of ideas flying through my head. I decided to go with espresso cupcakes and used my tea cup baking cups! I did a test run earlier in the week and took a batch into work, everyone really enjoyed them. I knew this would be a good one to take to the casting call and with the amount of caffeine in these cupcakes it would definitely give them a pick me up. I feel like the interview went really well and now just have to wait to hear back from them with a decision. Fingers crossed!

Recipe

Inspired by Hummingbird Bakery
Ingredients: 
For the cake:
240ml milk
20g instant espresso powder
80g unsalted butter, softened
240g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting:
20ml milk
16g instant espresso powder
500g icing sugar
160g unsalted butter, softened
Chocolate covered coffee beans to decorate

Steps:

1. Preheat the over to 190C/375F and fill a cupcake tin with cupcake cases. 
2. Lightly warm the milk in the microwave for about a minute and dissolve the espresso powder in it, mix well and place aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt on a low speed until it is like a breadcrumb texture.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla extract into the espresso mixture, whisk by hand until combined. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix on low speed, then increase speed until everything is mixed together and you have a smooth batter.
5. Pour the mixture in to the cases, filling each case about two-thirds of the case. The mixture should make about 12 to 16 cupcakes. Bake in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes. Leave in the tin for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting the cakes.
6. Now to make the frosting, warm the milk in the microwave for about 10 seconds and dissolve the espresso powder in it. Set aside to cool completely before adding in frosting mixture.
7. Beat together the butter and icing sugar, on a low speed until they are fully combined. Slowly start to add the espresso mixture, then once mixed in, increase the speed until the frosting is light and fluffly.
8. Decorate your cupcakes!