This past Friday, I had like a million and one things to do. Simultaneously, I was going on a week long sleep deficit. My daughter has been waking up every, single night, several times a night. She’s 21 months old and I’ve read that around this age, sleep pattern disturbance can be normal, as well as possible growing pains. We’re trying to help her get better rest every night and hoping the tide will turn soon.

Needless to say, my husband and I have been a bit more zombie-like in the morning than usual and by 3pm, we inevitably hit the wall. There are a few things to do when that happens. Try to take a nap, exercise to push past it, or get some caffeine in your system. We’ve been alternating methods but on Friday, I was ready for some sweet caffeine to keep my engine going!

I brewed a big pot of Lavazza’s Classico coffee and waited around to smell the delicious aroma as it filled the kitchen. I hunched over the kitchen sink and looked out into the backyard blankly.

Cupcakes.

That’s what came to my mind, just as the french press was ready to push down. I poured myself a cup and considered the options for making cupcakes. Aiden was at school and Abigail was sleeping, no doubt catching up on the rest she missed the night before. But, I was awake and pondering cupcakes – vanilla, pumpkin, chocolate….coffee!

I definitely had enough coffee made to spare in a recipe. I was also gravitating towards chocolate, “why not both?” I said to myself.

I do love a good mocha latte every once in a blue moon and since these cupcakes are going to be a super treat, I was pumped to make them something special. I continued to take down the bold Lavazza brew in my cup as I pulled out all the ingredients I would need to make gluten-free Mocha Latte Cupcakes.

Within no time, they were baking in the oven and their scent wafted out of the kitchen to the living room where I sat, with my feet up, and enjoyed my second cup of strong, perk-me-up coffee.

After 30 minutes of baking, they were ready to come out of the oven and sit in wait of their accoutrements.

Wack loads of mocha icing.

If there is one super special sweet treat that we collectively like as a family, it is perfectly made buttercream frosting. For birthdays, holidays, and days like these – a fluffy, dreamy buttercream frosting is just about the best thing ever.

The kids didn’t get in on this goodness though. Nope, these beauties were for my husband and I. They were medicine for the sleepless nights and I sure wasn’t going to feed caffeine to our children and encourage more sleep disturbances!

With cooled cupcakes in one hand and the piping bag in another, each beautiful little cake was iced. When they were all done, I picked the best one and ate it, enjoying each deliciously rich bite. Who wouldn’t be ready to take on the world after indulging in such a delight!

For those days when you just need a treat (and a sweet kick in the pants), you’re gonna want to bookmark this recipe and don’t forget your Lavazza Classico – it makes all the difference with its signature intense aroma of dried fruits, along with the rich and full-body of beans sourced from South America and Africa.

Gluten-Free Mocha Latte Cupcakes

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Author: Emily Smith

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Description

A sweet mocha treat, perfect for celebrating National Coffee Day!

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup white rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 – 1 1/2 cup of raw sugar (I used 1 cup)
1/2 cup of melted coconut oil or canola oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup almond milk
1 cup of strongly brewed Lavazza Classico, chilled

Mocha Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup of strongly brewed Lavazza Classico coffee

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Instructions

Preheat ove to 350 F.
Line cupcake pans with liners.
Combine the rice flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar in a medium bowl.
Mix the eggs and vanilla together in a large bowl, adding oil, coffee and almond milk while continuously whisking.
Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir to combine.
Using a large spoon or ladle, pour the batter into the liners.
This mix will make 24 small cupcakes or 18 larger ones.
Bake the cupcakes for 25 – 30 minutes.
Place the cupcakes on a cooling rack to cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, cream room temperature butter until light and fluffy.
Add in the powdered sugar 1/2 a cup at a time.
Mix in the coffee and cocoa powder, until nice and smooth
Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with a little extra cocoa powder or powdered sugar.
Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving Size: 18

It goes without saying that I love a good cup of coffee! Did you know that September 29th is National Coffee Day? These cupcakes are perfect for celebrating! If you do make them for #NationalCoffeeDay make sure to share them with @lavazzausa and @bestofthislife on twitter or @lavazzausa and @best_ofthislife on instagram! We’d love to see them.

Visit Lavazza on facebook for more delicious recipes and follow the Lavazza Passionista pinterest board for tons of coffee inspiration!

This post is brought to you in partnership with Lavazza. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Emily Smith

Emily Smith, Editor of The Best of This Life, has been crafting lifestyle content and delicious recipes for over a decade. Featured on platforms like BRIT + CO, Today's Parent, and Chatelaine, she writes about family, food, home, and wellness, inspiring readers to live well and savour life's beauty. Based in Ottawa, she shares her adventures with her husband, two beautiful kids, and their mischievous cat, Zoro.

Gluten-Free Mocha Latte Cupcakes