Espresso Cupcake Recipe

Espresso Cupcakes
0 Pre-heat oven to 400 Fahrenheit and line 2 cupcake tins with paper liners.
1 Mix the dry ingredients on a medium sized bowl, and set aside.
2 On a small separate bowl, mix the milk and instant espresso powder, until coffee is completely dissolved, and set aside.
3 Over a large bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), mix in medium-high speed butter and sugar for around 3 minutes, until color turns into a lighter shade. 
4 Add eggs and vanilla extract to creamed butter mixture and mix until just combined.
5 Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, add the sour cream and mix.
6 Turn speed to low. Start adding the flour mixture and coffee milk mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating them, starting and finishing with the flour and mixing until just incorporated. It's important that you don't over mix the batter at this point.
9 Divide batter into the cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 full. I used a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop. Bake cupcakes in preheated oven for 5 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
10 Let cupcakes cool for a few minutes in the cupcake tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Espresso buttercream
11 Start by mixing the heavy whipping cream and 4 teaspoons espresso powder, until no lumps are visible.
12 Cream butter in medium-high speed until light and fluffy, for around 1.5 minutes. Turn speed to low.
13 Gradually, add the sifted icing sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and espresso powder mixture. Mix until just combined, then turn speed to medium-high and beat for an additional minute, or until frosting is light and fluffy.
14 Using a piping bag and 1M tip, pipe a high swirl of espresso buttercream into the completely cooled cupcakes and add some crushed chocolate covered espresso beans on top.