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I was looking to make something different for St. Patrick's Day this year. Well, honestly, I was using the holiday as an excuse to bake (A holiday that I don't quite celebrate since I'm almost full Italian and grew up in a home where our mom made us wear orange to school every St. Paddy's Day, so yeah, that hardcore Italian!).
So I began to browse. I didn't want anything with mint - I'm not a huge fan of chocolate and mint together - which is what a majority of St. Patricks Day recipes consist of to get that green color in there. I also didn't want to incorporate any booze and I was pretty short on time. I just wanted something simple yet delicious that would still give a nod to the day that doused everything in green and gold.
I stumbled across this Coffee Cupcake recipe from a blog called Itsy Bitsy Kitchen and felt as if it was very fitting for everything I was looking for! I'd also imagine those who celebrate St. Paddy's Day would appreciate the extra boost of energy these cupcakes provide. A win-win!
These were super easy to make and didn't take much time at all. Instant espresso powder is incorporated into both the cupcake itself and in the frosting for a beautiful taste of coffee in each bite. I piped on the frosting using a piping bag and tip, and then topped these with gold sprinkles and a green m&m candy. Well-ah, St. Paddy's Day Cupcakes (sort of).
The cake is moist, light, and fluffy. You can truly taste the coffee flavor come through and it's very pleasant on the palette. I added a tad bit more salt to my frosting than the recipe called for, but that's because I don't like my frosting to be overly sweet. The m&m also added a nice little crunch. Next time I make these, I'll definitely add chocolate chips on top because the chocolate was such a lovely compliment to the coffee flavor.
Overall, if you're a coffee lover or baking for one, you should definitely try these yourself! They're quick and easy and can be decorated for just about any holiday - even ones you may not particularly celebrate!
Happy St. Paddy's Day everyone!