Vanilla Latte Butter Cream Frosting

Hell...thats one long-ass name for a frosting. Let's just call it Out Of This World Good!

When all was said and done and every cupcake was frosted, I had some leftover. It was not uncommon to see me perched in front of the computer with my make-shift icing bag in hand as I sucked it out of the bag.

Seriously....that good!!

My sister told me about the recipe and recited it to me over the phone. If my ever failing horrible memory serves me correctly, I believe she got the recipe from her Southern Living magazine.

I need a subscription to that baby!

I think the only change I did was to use 2 tablespoons of instant coffee because the recipe called for 1 tablespoon of instant espresso. My grocery store didn't have it....so I bought instant coffee instead.

And what did I do with this incredible frosting? I used it to ice cupcakes for the holiday party at work. I made German Chocolate cupcakes with 2 heaping teaspoons of instant coffee added to the water that the box mix called for.

I knoooow...I used a box mix!! The horror of it all!!

But in my defense...

1. Box mixes taste really good
2. I was pressed for time
3. I was being lazy
4. It's what I chose to do...so there!

So...I mixed up the cake mix. The coffee addition was more of a flavor enhancement then an additional flavor. I decided to make mini cupcakes. Easy pickings at a party. 2 bites and your done. Grab one on your way past the dessert table and before you sit down at your table, it's gone. And know has to know you ate one. Guilt free.

I bought those mini muffin pans with the liners. I already have the pans but I couldn't find the liners at the store. They only came as a "kit".... aluminum muffin pan and liners. But you know what? Bed, Bath and Beyond sells them.

Found that out after the fact.

Anyways....I had enough liners to make 3 dozen cupcakes. Cool. I got out my little mini ladle and started filling them up

And filling and filling and trying not to drip and make a mess. Once they were all full, I couldn't believe how much cake batter I still had left!

There was actually enough to make 9 full sized cupcakes (that I left at home, much to the girls delight)!

I baked the little mini's for about 17 minutes....in a hot oven (whatever the box said to do...I forget). I did the toothpick test every minute after the first 13 minutes. I did not want dry cupcakes.

(I think just about every cupcake has a toothpick hole in it for all the testing I did)

After those little boogers cooled, I started with the icing:

1/2 cup Softened Butter
3 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1 lb. powdered sugar
3 - 5 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons instant coffee

Beat together your butter, vanilla, coffee and salt until nice and creamy

Can you smell the coffee?

Gradually add the sugar and milk, alternating between the two....1/3 of the sugar,

1 tablespoon of milk, 2nd third of the sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk...etc.

Do not add more than 3 tablespoons of the milk until everything is incorporated. If the icing is too thick, then add a little more milk until you get your desired thickness. I personally did not need to add any additional milk

I don't have an icing bag. I got out a zip lock baggy...trimmed the corner off a little and stuck an icing tip in there...filled the bag with icing and piped away.

btw....this is the first time I've ever piped icing onto a cupcake. I did have a few casualties that needed to be cleaned up and re-done. But all in all it was pretty fun.

Look how cute!

I should tell you that the coffee aroma from this icing is enough to make your mouth water. Besides cream cheese frosting....this is the most incredible icing I've ever had. Hands down!

Oh...if I hadn't made the cupcakes for a work function, I would've added kahlua to the german chocolate cake mix instead of coffee.

Would be worth another round in my opinion.

ya, I know.....just an excuse to make more icing.

I want to take a moment to thank you all for your visits and comments. It means the world to me. There is just something so special about good food and wonderful people that our blogging world brings together. I have learned so much from you all this past year and look forward to more; learning, cooking, eating, sharing and enjoying.

I wish you all a most wonderful, safe, and prosperous year to come.

Happy New Year!