The coffee flavor is strong with these guys! But not too strong. We think it's a perfect flavor blend. They're unmistakably coffee flavored without being overpowering. The addition of coffee to the frosting seemed to make it super creamy! And it worked just so well as a topping for these cupcakes. Like coffee and cream!

~Ingredients:

-Flax Egg:

1 Tablespoon Ground Flaxseed Meal.

3 Tablespoon Hot Water.

-Cupcake:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour.

1 Cup Brown Sugar.

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda.

1/2 Teaspoon Salt.

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon.

3 Tablespoon Instant Coffee Powder.

2 Tablespoon Hot Water.

1 Cup Soy Milk.*

2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract.

1/3 Cup Olive Oil.**

1 Tablespoon White Vinegar.***

1 Flax Egg.

-Coffee Buttercream Frosting:

3 Cups Powdered Sugar.

1/3 Cup Vegan Butter.

1 Tablespoon Instant Coffee Powder.

2 Tablespoons Soy Milk (or other non - dairy milk).

-Topping:

Ground Cinnamon.

~Directions:

Making the Cupcakes:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit. Line the cupcake tray with liners. Set aside.

Step 2: In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix everything together.

Step 3: Add in the brown sugar and mix together.

Step 4: Mix the instant coffee with the hot water into a thick paste and then add in the the soy milk. 

Step 4: Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and the coconut oil.

Step 5: Add to the mixing bowl along with the vanilla, oil and vinegar.

Step 4: Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and the coconut oil.

Step 6: Prepare the flax egg by mixing the flaxseed meal with hot water and allow it to sit for a minute to thicken and then add it to the batter.

Step 7: Whisk the batter with a hand whisk briefly just to remove lumps. 

Step 8: Divide the batter between the cupcake liners and place into the oven to bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Step 9: Allow the cupcakes to cool for a few minutes before moving the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Making the Frosting:

Step 10: In a bowl, add the powdered sugar and the vegan butter. Mix together.

Step 11: In a separate bowl mix together the instant coffee with the soy milk and the vanilla extract. Mix together until no lumps remain. 

Step 12: Add the coffee mixture to the powdered sugar mixture and using a electric mixer. Mix on the slow speed and then gradually increase speed until the frosting is thick and smooth. If your frosting is too thin add in more powdered sugar, if it is too thick, add in a little more soy milk, one drop at a time until it reaches the right consistency. It should be very thick for best results.

Putting it all together: 

Step 13: Spoon the frosting into a piping bag or ziploc bag. Cut the corner off and pipe small amounts into the middle of the cupcakes.

Step 14: Sprinkle the ground cinnamon on top of the frosting.

Step 15: Keep the cupcakes covered at room temperature where they will last for a couple of days or covered in the fridge where they will stay fresh for up to a week.

Step 16: Eat and Enjoy!

~Recipe Notes:

*You can use any non - dairy milk.

**You can use any type of oil.

***You can also use Apple Cider Vinegar instead of White Vinegar.

1) We did use quite a lot of coffee in these though. We used three tablespoons of a nice strong blend of instant coffee so we believe that each cupcake is around / equal to a cup of instant coffee.

Enjoy!

Please leave us a picture in the comments below if you make it or have any questions!

XoXo Hannah and Hailey :)