Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350ºF and prepare your muffin tin with paper liners

Step 2

Warm buttermilk in the microwave (roughly 100ºF) and combine with oil and vanilla. Set aside

Step 3

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sifted cocoa powder and espresso powder. Set aside.

Step 4

Cream together the butter, white sugar, sifted brown sugar and salt with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy. Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one. *see notes*

Step 5

Add in the eggs one at a time while mixing on low. Letting the first one mix in before adding the second.

Step 6

Scrape the bowl to be sure that everything is mixed well.

Step 7

While mixing on low, add in 1/3 of your flour mixture, followed by 1/3 of your buttermilk mixture. Alternate two more times until just combined.

Step 8

Fill your cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and bake for 18-20 minutes until set. Do not overbake.

Step 9

Let cool completely before frosting

Step 10

In the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip together egg whites, powdered sugar, and sifted cocoa powder until combined. Then turn up to high

Step 11

Add in softened butter in small chunks and continue whipping until light and fluffy. Add in your vanilla and salt. Give it a taste, if it still tastes like butter, keep whipping.

Step 12

Frost cupcakes as desired. I used a 2F piping tip for mine