• Preheat the oven to 180°C/355°F/gas mark 4. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. *Note 2
• Melt the butter and milk together, either in the microwave or on the stovetop on low heat.
  60 grams butter, 120 grams milk
• Add the vanilla and espresso powder/instant coffee granules to the butter/milk mixture, stir through, and set aside to cool.
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar either with an electric hand mixer or with a stand mixer for 5 minutes. The egg mixture will lighten to a pale yellow and almost triple in volume when done.
  200 grams white granulated sugar, 2 eggs
• With the beaters running, slowly add the butter/milk mixture to the eggs.
• Sieve the cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and half flour over the egg mixture. Whisk together until just combined. Sieve over the rest of the flour, and mix until just combined. *Note 3
  30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon table salt, 190 grams plain flour
• Using a ¼ cup or size 16 scoop, divide the batter into the prepared cupcake liners. Tap the cake tin on the kitchen counter 3 times to bring all the large bubbles to the surface. *Note 4
• Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean from the center.
• Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 2-5 minutes before placing them on a wired cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting *Note 5

• Bring the butter and milk or cream to room temperature. If your bowls are cold, run the outside of the bowls under some warm water and dry off before using.
• Place the butter and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and start beating with a whisk attachment on a low to medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Then increase the speed to high and beat for 10 minutes, scraping down the bowl in regular intervals to make sure all the butter is being beaten. The butter will become soft, fluffy, and almost white in color.
  150 grams butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Sieve the cocoa powder and icing sugar over the butter, add the salt, use the paddle attachment, and beat the icing sugar into the butter to form a thick frosting. The cake beaters of a handheld electric mixer will work just fine.
  330 grams icing sugar, 30 grams unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon table salt
• Add in the milk or cream 1 tablespoon at a time and beat on high to create a spreadable/pipeable frosting.
  1-4 tablespoon milk
• With the paddle attachment, run at a low to medium speed for an additional 2-5 minutes. This will knock out the large air pockets in the frosting.
• To make sure the buttercream frosting is smooth, use a silicon spatula to stir through the frosting a few times. This step is important especially if a hand-held electric mixer has been used.
• If the icing or frosting feels too soft, cover it with plastic wrap or cling film and allow it to set at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the whole mixture to cool down. The heat from the mixer and friction may make the frosting/icing feel a bit soft.
• Transfer the frosting into a piping bag with a tip. For large tall swirls, begin the circle on the outer edge moving inwards and then on top of the swirl. For a single rosette, start in the middle of the cupcake and work your way to the edge. *Note 6&7