Brown Sugar Kahlua Cupcakes

My copy of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes has been sitting pretty in my book shelf for a while now. Make that a long, long while (whether or not they have gathered some dust, I won't tell). And so when I looked at all the posts I have done for this year, I realized I haven't really done a proper cupcake post yet (totally unacceptable right?). I mean, yes there are muffin recipes, a recipe for some bars, cookies, a cake and even one for macarons but a cupcake recipe, yeah none yet. 

We're doing something about it now. I decided take out my Martha Stewart's Cupcakes copy and re-read it again. There were a lot of dog ears, pages folded, recipes marked. Wow, I don't know how it made it's way to my shelf - it definitely doesn't belong there. This book deserves a special place next to my big jars of flour and sugar - somewhere I can easily pick up and read. 

I have marked lots of interesting recipes to try - like the base for these Brown Sugar Kahlua Cupcakes. I based it from the Brown Sugar Pound Cake recipe I got from the book. I love how simple it is, just seven ingredients but is packed with flavor. I can almost taste the caramel flavor. I paired it with Kahlua buttercream, love the subtle coffee hint the buttercream brings to the whole cupcake experience. Without further ado, here's the recipe.

Brown Sugar Kahlua Cupcakes

Brown Sugar Pound Cupcakes

adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes 

325F/25 minutes

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter

2 1/4 cups packed brown sugar

4 large eggs

3/4 buttermilk or sour cream or yakult

Kahlua Frosting

1 pound icing sugar

1 cup butter 

2 tbsp Kahlua

Here's how:
(1) Dry whisk / sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
(2) Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

(3) Add eggs one at a time. 

(4) Add one third of the dry ingredients.

(5)  Then add half of the buttermilk. Repeat until all is combined.

(6) Fill a cupcake liner until two-thirds full and bake for 25 minutes or until done. 

(7) To make the frosting. Mix together butter, icing sugar and Kahlua until smooth and creamy.

(8) Pipe frosting on top of the cupcakes. You can add some chocolate chips on top if you want :)

PS:The recipe requires buttermilk, you can make your own, use sour cream or follow after me and use Yakult. It's easier because if you still have some left, it definitely won't go to waste - just drink it up.