Bicoff and Kahlua Crunch Cupcakes

It seems only fitting that I end my week of Colorado photographs with a cupcake that includes Biscoff cookies since that is what I ate on the plane ride home.  There is just something about sitting on a plane that makes those little gingery cookies taste even better.

Biscoff Cupcakes
1 cup flour
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons instant coffee
1/2 cup Kahlua (or coffee)

Biscoff Buttercream
5 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 ssticks butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup biscoff spread
Crushed biscoff cookies
Chocolate pouring sauce

Combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and salt in mixing bowl.  Add butter, eggs and vanilla and beat on medium for 1 minute.  Add half of Kahula and beat 20 seconds.  Add remaining Kahula and beat 20 more seconds.  Divide between muffin cups and bake 18-22 minutes at 350.

For frosting: Combine egg whites and sugar in a double boiler.  Whisk and heat until 160  degrees.  Beat on high speed for mixture cools and stiff peaks form.  Add butter, 1 piece at a time.  Add in biscoff and mix well.

Frost cupcakes with buttercream.

Sprinkle with crushed cookies.  (Confession time - I ate all of the biscoff cookies because I forget that I needed to save some to sprinkle on top.)  I used crushed graham crackers instead. 

Decorate tops of the cupcakes with shards of melted and cooled chocolate.

Since I started this week long vacation picture event by posting photos of our last day of vacation, I think it's only fitting that I end the week by sharing photos from our very first day in Colorado.  On our first full day in Colorado, we visited the Denver Zoo.  We got up close and personal with lots of interesting animals.

Not sure who had more fun at the zoo, the kids or the adults?  We all had a good time watching the animals AND perfecting our animal calls.

Ciao!