COFFEE CUPCAKES FROM CAKE MIX RECIPES

Steps:

• Line bottom and sides of 5-quart oval slow cooker with single sheet of cooking parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
• In medium bowl, stir Topping ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.
• In large bowl, stir Cake ingredients until blended. Pour into slow cooker. Place folded, clean dish towel under cover of cooker. This will prevent condensation from dripping down onto cake. Cook on High heat setting 1 hour. Carefully remove slow cooker’s ceramic insert, and rotate insert 180 degrees. Sprinkle topping over cake. Replace cover with dish towel under the cover. Continue to cook on High heat setting 30 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Transfer ceramic insert from slow cooker to cooling rack. Let stand 10 minutes. Using parchment paper, carefully lift cake out of ceramic insert, and transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Remove parchment paper.
• In small bowl, beat Glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until very light and pale.
• Add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well to completely incorporate each egg before adding the next egg.
• Add the espresso to the mixture and stir well.
• Add the flour and walnuts and stir well to completely combine.
• Spoon the cake mixture into two lined and greased 20cm/8in cake tins.
• Transfer to the oven to bake 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean and the cake is golden-brown.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.
• For the buttercream topping, beat the butter and icing sugar together in a small bowl until pale and light.
• Add the espresso and mix well.
• Spread the buttercream over the top of each cake, then place one cake on top of the other.
• Decorate the top of the cake with the walnut halves and serve in generous slices.