1. Coffee is very tasty. Fact.

2. 1 in 10 of the world’s population do not have access to safe drinking water. Fact.

3. This week is UK Coffee Week: You can celebrate your favourite drink and help raise money to provide clean water in African coffee-growing countries. That’s right, another fact.

Get involved. You know it makes sense. 

It’s fantastic to see so many of the big names in the coffee industry participating this week. Your cheeky mid-afternoon flat white habit is already so expensive, chances are your wallet won’t even notice the small donation you’re making but it could make a huge difference elsewhere…My workplace is taking part and even offering matched funding (big thumbs up). To make sure my team are giving generously (and to smoke out those who aren’t), I’m bringing in a batch of coffee cupcakes. Why not fundraise by feeding your colleagues cake too?

If I’m honest, I also just want to make the most of sharing cake while I can as bikini season is fast approaching and the more disciplined of my friends will be crunching on celery so loudly before the month is out that they won’t even hear me shout ‘free cake!’…

These coffee cupcakes are delicious – light, bouncy sponge and wondrously creamy icing with a mellow coffee note running through.

Coffee cupcakes with coffee & white chocolate buttercream

Makes 12-16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:

– 125g caster sugar
– 125g unsalted butter, softened and cubed
– 125g self-raising flour, sifted
– 2 large eggs (free-range please)
– 2 tablespoons Camp chicory & coffee essence
– chocolate covered coffee beans, to decorate (optional)

For the buttercream:

– 60g white chocolate, cubed
– 80g butter, softened and cubed
– 140g icing sugar
– 1 tablespoon Camp chicory & coffee essence

Method:

Preheat your oven to 190°C and line your cupcake tray(s) with cases.

Cream the sugar, butter and flour together in a food mixer.

Beat the eggs and coffee essence in a jug. Pour into the creamed mixture, half at a time and beat (scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure nothing escapes) until you have a silky smooth batter.

Divide the batter between the cases and bake for 18-20 minutes until spongey and golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

To make the buttercream, put the chocolate in a microwaveable bowl and heat in 20 second bursts, stirring between each of them, until the chocolate has melted (about a minute in total). Set aside to cool.

Cream the butter and sugar; add the coffee essence and cooled chocolate and beat until creamy and smooth.

Pipe onto your cupcakes. Tip: If you don’t have a piping bag, you could use a palette knife – I just find piping less messy! Decorate with the coffee beans, if using – kapow!

Source: Recipe and photos by pip & little blue.