Coffee Buttercream Frosting

This frosting was lick the mixer bowl good. I did a favor for a friend last night and baked a little over a hundred carrot cupcakes to bring to a function. They were going to be served at the coffee roaster's table so we wanted a coffee component to them. This frosting was a huge hit and will be made again and again! I used it as a decorative swirl on top (not covering the entire top) and it frosted roughly 90 cupcakes.

Coffee Buttercream Frosting

1 stick plus 2 TBS butter (total of 10 TBS)
24 oz confectioners sugar
4 TBS coffee (I used Brown & Jenkins Guatemala that I had helped roast!)
hot boiling water, a coffee mug, and a coffee filter (clothespins also help)

1. Set up the coffee filter in a mug. You want to brew an extra strong coffee extract. You're only going to use 1/8-1/4 of a cup so I use 4 TBS of coffee to ensure that it comes out with a super coffee-y taste. I recommend using a single origin coffee. Blends can have just a bit too much complexity for the frosting. I used Guatemala Antigua and the result was phenomenal. Pour some hot boiling water over the coffee and set it aside to "stew".

2. In a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk beat the butter until fluffy. I don't worry about softening it. I just put the whisk on full speed and let it whip itself into a frenzy.

3. Add the confectioners sugar a little at a time. If you don't use your sugar very often and it's lumpy sift it first. The frosting will get really smooth and silky.

4. Take the filter out of the coffee cup gently squeezing it to extract all the coffee. Measure out 1/4 cup of the brewed coffee. Add it slowly to frosting a little at a time. I used the full 1/4 cup but you want to make sure you add it a little at a time so your frosting doesn't get watery. The coffee has oils in it and it gives the frosting a really pretty shine.

5. Frost your cupcakes (and lick the whisk). I used this for an event and put the batch of frosting into a gallon ziploc. When I got there I cut the corner off and frosted the cupcakes. Just be careful with buttercream frostings they can "break" if they get too cold so make it when you need it and don't put it in the fridge.