Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes (2024)

Published: Mar 29, 2017 · Modified: Feb 23, 2021 by Veronika's Kitchen * This post may contain affiliate links

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Kahlua Cupcakes are a perfect dessert idea for chocolate and coffee lovers, featuring rich and decadent chocolate and coffee flavor with a touch of Kahlua.

I think that cupcakes are one of my most favorite desserts as they are easy to make and you can create so many different flavors for any discerning palette. In addition, it is a perfect portion if you control your sweets. If you are a coffee lover like me, you should appreciate my Kahlua Cupcakes that have a rich and decadent chocolate and coffee flavor with a touch of Kahlua.

For real chocolate lovers, do not forget to check my Julia Child’s Chocolate Mousse recipe and Homemade Chocolate Cake. And if you love cupcakes like me, check out my recipe for Blueberry Lemon Cupcakes.

If you have read my previous recipes for chocolate cupcakes, like Chocolate Orange Cupcakes and Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel, you already know that I like to add melted dark chocolate to them, which gives luscious richness to the dessert. However, this time I used instant espresso coffee and Kahlua coffee liqueur. Believe me, it brings these Kahlua Cupcakes to a whole new level!

I also add Kahlua to my buttercream frosting. Though, you can skip this step if you don’t want too much alcohol in your dessert. I add a little bit of heavy cream and beat it together in the very end for a few minutes, whipped cream helps the frosting to have more of an airy texture.

Did you make this recipe?!?I’d love to know how it turned out! leave a comment and a rating below👇 thank you!

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5 from 3 votes

Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes

Kahlua Chocolate Cupcakes are a perfect dessert idea for chocolate and coffee lovers, featuring rich and decadent chocolate and coffee flavor with a touch of Kahlua.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10 cupcakes

Calories: 480kcal

Author: Veronika’s Kitchen

Ingredients

Ingredients for Cupcakes:

▢ ⅔ cup all purpose flour
▢ ⅓ cup cocoa powder
▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ 1 teaspoon Espresso coffee powder
▢ ½ cup unsalted butter softened
▢ ⅔ cup granulated sugar
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ ¼ cup whole milk
▢ ¼ cup sour cream
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ ¼ cup Kahlua

Ingredients for Kahlua Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

▢ 1 cup unsalted butter softened
▢ 2 cups powdered sugar
▢ ¼ cup cocoa powder
▢ 2 tablespoons Kahlua
▢ ¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin with 10 muffin liners inside. Set it aside.
In a medium size mixing bowl sift all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso coffee powder together and set aside.
In another large mixing bowl whisk together softened butter and granulated sugar (you can use a mixer or a whisk). Add eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract, and Kahlua, whisk until smooth consistency.
Add dry ingredients into the mixture. Using a spatula, fold it together until smooth. Do not over mix.
Divide this batter between 10 muffin liners. Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. When it is ready, take it out and set aside to cool off for about 10 minutes. Place the muffins on a wire rack.
For the frosting, using a hand or stand mixer, beat softened butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, Kahlua, and heavy cream together on a medium/high speed for about 2-3 minutes until softened.
When the cupcakes are completely cooled off, top them with the Kahlua Chocolate Frosting using a piping tip.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a review below. Or snap a photo and share it on Instagram; be sure to tag me @veronikaskitchen.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Anne says
February 10, 2023 at 2:52 pm

What kind of chocolate is grated and sprinkled on the frosting? Thank you
Reply
Debbie Harris says
August 03, 2021 at 7:21 am

I tripled the cupcake recipe and made a batch and a half of the icing and made an triple layer cake. Awesome recipe and the cake was a hit! Wish I could attach a pic to this email!
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  August 06, 2021 at 2:10 pm
  
  Yaay! Thank you, Debbie! I saw your photo of the cake on Pinterest, it looks AMAZING!
  Reply
- Lacey says
  April 30, 2022 at 4:37 pm
  
  I just made these for my partner’s parents and they were a big hit with both of them! I subbed a caramel,pecan, and coffee flavored liqueur for the kalua and holy cow was it good! This is a wonderfully versatile recipe. I’m probably going to try some orange liquor next time and make it as a layer cake for my dad’s birthday next week. I can’t wait to bake this recipe again!
  Reply
  See Also
  Homemade Twix Bars - Browned Butter Blondie Churro Cookies - Stephanie's Sweet Treats Chocolate Wafer Cookies Recipe - Smells Like Home Zucchini Chocolate Cake {Secretly Healthy} - The Big Man's World ®
  - Veronika's Kitchen says
    May 10, 2022 at 4:50 pm
    
    Thank you so much, Lacey! I love your flavor combo! Need to try it as well 😉
    Reply
Amanda says
December 14, 2020 at 10:22 pm

I’m wondering if you can add chocolate chips to the batter? And if you could frost these with icing made from Tequila Rose, it tastes like strawberry milk…to give it the chocolate covered strawberry feel??
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  May 10, 2022 at 4:51 pm
  
  Hi Amanda! You definitely can add some chocolate chips to the batter. Tequila Rose sounds also great and I think it will perfectly work with the recipe 😉
  Reply
Valerie says
September 09, 2020 at 9:26 am

Could these be made into an 8×8 cake?
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 11, 2020 at 11:08 am
  
  Hi Valerie! I never tried to make a cake with cupcake batter but I think it should work. Make sure you adjust the timing.
  Reply
Kelly says
May 10, 2019 at 8:17 pm

We won first place in our cupcake wars in my catering class at college and this was one of our cupcakes! I have made them twice now and Everyone loves them and requests the recipe. Thank you for your amazing delicious recipe! Definitely a 5 star keeper recipe
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  May 12, 2019 at 11:51 am
  
  Thank you so much, Kelly! I am sooo happy to hear that! This is the best reward for me to hear that people love my recipes!
  Reply
Kelly Fleck says
April 29, 2019 at 12:33 am

I can’t wait to make these! I need 50 cupcakes for my catering class. Does the frosting recipe frost more than 10 cupcakes? 1 can’t imagine using 5 cups butter in one recipe for 50 cupcakes but they look AMAZING
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  April 29, 2019 at 9:33 am
  
  Hi Kelly! wow, 50 cupcakes is a lot!)))
  This amount of frosting should be enough for 10-12 cupcakes. It really depends on how much icing you are using for each cupcake. I think I would use at least 4 cups of butter for frosting and just try to pipe less than on the pics)
  Reply
Charlotte says
March 30, 2019 at 7:54 am

If you wanted to make this as a cake rather than cupcakes, what size cake pan would work and how long would you bake it?
Reply
Karen Curry says
December 16, 2018 at 3:17 pm

The recipe calls for cocoa powder. I assume unsweetened?
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  December 17, 2018 at 5:02 pm
  
  Hi Karen! Yes, the cocoa powder is unsweetened!)
  Reply
Gail says
April 22, 2018 at 8:05 am

Hi. This cupcake recipe sounds delicious and they look amazing. They are my list to try. I will bing them to my workplace and sell them to help a fundraiser or cat rescue. I’m sure these will be a hit!
Reply
Kim @ Three Olives Branch says
February 11, 2018 at 4:30 pm

I love Kahlua chocolate desserts, these look absolutely amazing!
Reply
See Also
Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
February 10, 2018 at 9:42 pm

These sound like the cupcakes that dreams are made of! I don’t have kahlua, but I am wanting to buy some now!
Reply
Robyn says
January 01, 2018 at 1:32 pm

Can I use half & half instead of heavy whipping cream?
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  January 01, 2018 at 9:07 pm
  
  Hi Robin, Yes, you can use half and half for the frosting. However, I like the consistency better with heavy cream. Let me know how you liked them!)
  Reply
Robyn says
January 01, 2018 at 1:31 pm

Can I use half n half instead of heavy whipping cream?
Reply
Katie B says
November 22, 2017 at 1:52 pm

What size muffin cups are you using? Trying to scale these for a party. Thanks!
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  November 22, 2017 at 7:18 pm
  
  Hi Katie, I am using a standard size Wilton muffin tin. You can find it on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/2BcO9GG
  Reply
swathi says
September 07, 2017 at 9:07 am

I have some kahula in my hand, your cupcakes not only delicious but also beautiful, I need to try it who can resist Kahula. Frosting is best part.
Reply
Talya says
September 05, 2017 at 12:22 pm

Just made these cupcakes for a friends birthday and they were a hit! Everyone loved them =) the inside was super moist and fluffy while the frosting super light and airy. I gradually added only 2ish tbsp of half and half to my icing as well as only about 1.5 tbsp of kahlua, at the very end I had some canned whipped cream and added a few tbsp of that and folded it in, it made the icing super fluffy and airy. Added a sprinkling of coarse sea salt and espresso powder to decorate =) all in all, great recipe and I’ll be making plenty more of these to come!!
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 06, 2017 at 10:16 pm
  
  Thank you, Talya! I am very happy you loved the cupcakes)
  Reply
Andrea @ The Petite Cook says
September 05, 2017 at 2:21 am

Oh my, love that frosting, looks absolutely mouthwatering, and your pictures are so pretty!
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 06, 2017 at 10:14 pm
  
  Thank you, Andrea)
  Reply
Amy says
September 04, 2017 at 12:28 am

These cupcakes look unbelievably delicious! That frosting looks so creamy!
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 06, 2017 at 10:14 pm
  
  Thank you, Amy!
  Reply
Veena Azmanov says
September 03, 2017 at 10:24 am

Oh I LOVE Kalhua or Baileys in my cakes and cupcakes. These look so scrumptious. Perfect for a hen party.
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 06, 2017 at 10:13 pm
  
  Thank you, Veena)
  Reply
Adriana Lopez Martin says
September 02, 2017 at 12:26 am

Kalhua and chocolate yes please sign me up for two! What a scrumptious dessert and so good looking =)
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 02, 2017 at 12:25 pm
  
  Thank you, Adriana!
  Reply
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
September 01, 2017 at 6:58 pm

These sound so delicious! The frosting with the chocolate on top makes them look so pretty!
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 01, 2017 at 8:19 pm
  
  Thank you, Marlynn!
  Reply
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
September 01, 2017 at 5:56 pm

Well these would make the perfect party dessert. In fact I think they would be the BEST birthday cupcakes EVER!!
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 01, 2017 at 8:19 pm
  
  Thank you, Gloria!
  Reply
Catherine says
September 01, 2017 at 3:05 pm

These cupcakes look beautiful! So moist and that gorgeous frosting on top is perfection.
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 01, 2017 at 8:18 pm
  
  Thank you, Catherine!
  Reply
María says
September 01, 2017 at 12:13 pm

Beauuuuutiful and the inside of the cupcake looks so moist 🙂
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 01, 2017 at 8:17 pm
  
  Thank you, Maria)
  Reply
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh says
September 01, 2017 at 10:41 am

Yum!! I totally want one of these right now. Chocolate cupcakes/cake is my favorite, and the addition of the kahlua is perfection.
Reply
- Veronika's Kitchen says
  September 01, 2017 at 8:17 pm
  
  Thank you, Joanna)
  Reply
Jared says
May 07, 2017 at 11:50 pm

These cupcakes taste delicious, especially with the hints of Kahlua in the chocolate. A new favorite!
Reply