Gluten-Free Mochaccino Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Cupcakes

• 1-1/4 cups almond flour (finely ground blanched almonds)
• 3 ounces 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1 cup sugar, divided use
• 1/4 cup gluten-free flour blend (or wheat flour, or cornstarch, arrowroot or potato starch)
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs

• Filling

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

• Frosting

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 4 Tablespoons water
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• Pinch of salt
• 1-1/2 sticks butter, cold
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 ounce dark chocolate bar
• 12 chocolate pearl candies or chocolate-covered coffee beans for decorating

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a regular cupcake pan with 12 parchment paper liners.
2. For cupcakes, place almond flour, chocolate pieces and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl of food processor; pulse until chocolate is completely chopped and blended. Scrape down sides. Add flour, espresso, baking soda and salt. Pulse, scrape down and pulse again until mixture looks like moist chocolate sand. In small bowl, whisk together boiling water and cocoa; stir in vanilla. In large bowl, beat olive oil, eggs and remaining 1/2 cup sugar at medium speed for 3 minutes or until lemon-colored and thick. Pour cocoa mixture into eggs; beat on low speed until blended. Add flour mixture; beat until well combined. Scrape 1/4 cup batter into each cup; bake for 23-25 minutes or until center is slightly mounded. Cool completely before filling and frosting.
3. For filling, beat cream with confectioners’ sugar and both extracts in a medium chilled bowl until it forms soft peaks. Cut an inverted cone from the center of each cupcake. Fill holes with cream. Slice the tips off the cones and place them back on the cupcakes.
4. For frosting, stir sugar and water together in a small heavy saucepan. Without stirring, heat to 240 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites, lemon juice and salt to soft peaks. When sugar syrup has reached temperature, slowly pour it down the sides of the bowl into the egg whites. Beat for 10 minutes or until the mixture has cooled. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating at medium speed. Add vanilla extract, melted chocolate and espresso; beat about another 5 minutes until all ingredients are incorporated and frosting is creamy and smooth. Pipe or spread frosting onto cupcakes. Shave chocolate over each cupcake and top with a chocolate pearl or chocolate coffee bean.

Notes