Rainy Day Cupcakes

Two days ago, it started pouring a little after mid-day. Thank God, Missy was saved from having to step out to work due to some very welcomed circumstances, and so, her eyes twinkled, her mind set to bake some cupcakes.

I have to pat myself on the back for this.

With minimal ingredients, which left me to resort to what I like to do best; substituting each and every ingredient that the recipe calls for, these little gems sure turned out incredibly good!

I have to admit this. As much as Missy loves her baked goods, she never seem to be able to make a really good muffin. I mean, sure, I've had my fair share of bakings before here and there, and they are alright, but they never seem to be as fluffy and to-die-for as those tempting you from behind the baker's window, you know.

And it worries me so. For someone who can die for a muffin, like literally, it really is mean fate if she can't bake a decent batch.

So, to her surprise and delight, these cupcakes came out of the oven smelling exactly like the fresh brew you would smell in the early mornings before you go to work, WITH the springy fluffiness reminiscent of melting clouds.

I now call them, my Rainy Day Coffee Cakes.

*The original recipe makes 24 cupcakes. Mine was a halved version and a mismatched array of muffins, cupcakes and ramekin-cakes, whatever I have on hand. Original recipe calls for coffee and chicory extract which I obviously don't have, but made do by stirring 3 heaped teaspoons of coffee granules and 1 teaspoon of sugar with 1 tablespoon of boiling water. Also, I've ran out of buttermilk, so I dropped a few drops of vinegar into my milk and let stand while I assemble the rest of the ingredients.

Ingredients

• 65g olive oil
• 65g soft brown sugar
• 1 egg
• few tsps coffee extract*
• 85g self-raising flour
• 50ml buttermilk*
• 60g icing sugar
• 40g cream cheese

How to

1. Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F. Line your cupcake/ muffin trays with patty cases.
2. Beat sugar, egg and oil with an electric hand mixer until creamy. Mix in 3 teaspoons of coffee extract.
3. Fold in sifted flour and a pinch of salt into creamed mixture. Gently mix in the buttermilk until combined.
4. Spoon mixture into patty cases only 2/3 full and bake for 25-30 minutes. Leave in tray to cool.
5. To make icing, in a small bowl, combine remaining extract with cream cheese and icing sugar. If too thick, add a teaspoon of boiling water. If too watery, you can either add more coffee granules for a more bitter aroma, or cocoa powder for a sweeter finish.
6. Spread icing over cupcakes just before serving and relish the bitter sweetness of these little heaven.

Oh, and for those who can't be bothered whipping up some decadent icing, I have found peanut butter to go really well with these coffee delights.

The next time you find yourself cooped at home on a rainy day, remember to make yourself a steaming cup of tea and enjoy my Rainy Day Coffee Cakes, best served warm with melted peanut butter. Gently scoop the top of your cakes out, place a dollop of peanut butter into the valley and let the salty sweet goodness melt into the cake. SO GOOD.