Coffee and Walnut Cupcakes
Chocolate Coffee and Walnut Cupcakes have a satisfying crunch with a subtle coffee flavour.
National Cupcake Day is coming around again on Monday, February 29th. This is your chance to bake cupcakes,and fight animal cruelty by helping to raise funds for SPCAs + Humane Societies across Canada. What a great chance for animal lovers and bakers alike to unite and host cupcake events throughout February in support of their favourite animal charity.
Both my previous cats were strays we took in and they were well loved pets. Unfortunately most animals in need of a good home do not generally just stumble upon one which is why it is so important to support the efforts of the SPCA and Humane Society. My sister adopted a new cat last year from our local SPCA and my girls are so in love with miss Maggie May! Imagine if the SPCA or Humane Societies didn’t exist? Animals like Maggie May just wouldn’t have a chance at a good, happy life with a loving family of their own.
How do you participate in National Cupcake Day?
Participants choose a local participating SPCA or Humane Society, bake cupcakes, raise money through friends & family, share the cupcakes with their donors at their school, office or home and donate the funds raised to their chosen animal charity. All proceeds raised go to support animals that are abused, abandoned, neglected or no longer wanted. What a sweet way to show your support of animal welfare!
Register now through the National Cupcake Day website (it’s free!) to host your own cupcake party. When you register for National Cupcake Day, you will have the opportunity to choose a participating SPCA or Humane Society to receive all of your proceeds. You will then receive an official Cupcake Day Host Kit in the mail. Inside you’ll find your fundraising guide, donation box, balloons, a poster and other items you’ll need to host a successful event.
Don’t forget, National Cupcake Day is on Monday, February 29th, (you can hold your National Cupcake Day Party any time in January or February though), so be sure to mark your calendars!
Early Bird Contest
Participants who sign-up and raise $50 online before January 30th will be entered into a draw to WIN a KitchenAid Stand Mixer! What an awesome incentive to get started early! Just think of all the batches up cupcakes and buttercream you could whip up with that!
Hopefully these Coffee and Walnut Cupcakes will inspire you to whip up your own batch and help support animals in need!
Coffee and Walnut Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix + Ingredients to prepare (or favourite Chocolate Cupcake recipe)
2 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 2 tsp hot water
1/2 Cup Walnut halves, finely chopped
For the coffee buttercream:
1 tbsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
1 Cup butter, room temperature
3 Cups Powedered Sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp Vanilla
24 Walnut Halves
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin tin with liners.
Mix together the chocolate cake ingredients + the instant coffee in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Fold in the walnuts.
Use an ice cream scoop to spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners (1/2 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until centres spring back when lightly pressed. Transfer to a cooling rack.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, prepare the buttercream.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and instant coffee then slowly add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, mixing until light and fluffy.
Pipe or spoon the icing on top of the cupcakes. Decorate each cupcake with a walnut half.

Coffee and Walnut Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 Box Chocolate Cake Mix + Ingredients to prepare, or favourite Chocolate Cupcake recipe
- 2 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 2 tsp hot water
- 1/2 Cup Walnut halves, finely chopped
For the coffee buttercream
- 1 tbsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
- 1 Cup butter, room temperature
- 3 Cups Powedered Sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- 24 Walnut Halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin tin with liners.
- Mix together the chocolate cake ingredients + the instant coffee in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Fold in the walnuts.
- Use an ice cream scoop to spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners (1/2 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until centres spring back when lightly pressed. Transfer to a cooling rack.
- Once the cupcakes are cooled, prepare the buttercream.
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and instant coffee then slowly add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, mixing until light and fluffy.
- Pipe or spoon the icing on top of the cupcakes. Decorate each cupcake with a walnut half.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Coffee you say? Now I’m drooling and I can’t wait to make these. I love anything coffee flavored, from coffee to coffee syrup to cupcakes :).
I can never make cupcakes this awesome! It’s really lovely to look at and I bet it tastes just as good as it looks!
Yummy! I’ll have to make this.
Those look great! My cupcakes never turn out looking pretty like that! I hadn’t heard about National Cupcake Day. I’m sure my kids will want to celebrate. 🙂
What a great way to raise money. That frosting looks amazing.
Coffee and Walnut cakes are one of my favourite so i love the mini version it looks tasty.
There is something about cup cakes that always reels me in against my better judgment…they always look so cute and inviting…SIGH
This sound so yummy, I love coffee and walnuts, together they are a match made in heaven 🙂
I never met a cupcake or a walnut I didn’t like. These look delicious.
those cupcakes look so yummy! i love baking and baking for a good cause like helping the animal shelters is great
You called me when you said coffee – these are a must try!
Oh my, those cupcakes look so good! I am not really good at baking, but my sister is the genius in the art. I’ll share with her the recipe and ask her to make some for me.
That cupcake top is so perfect! And I bet that is so tasty! Yuumm!
Pretty Tempting Cupcakes! Might try this!
These look delicious! The combination of walnut and coffee sounds wonderful!
This cupcakes looking so fabulous. I’m really not good in baking but this one, I must have to try it.
That’s such a “sweet” way to donate to charity.
Some say walnut? I am loving the look of these cupcakes, looks so delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m gonna have to remember National Cupcake Day, which technically only occurs every 4 years, right? Love your idea for the cupcake!