Irish Coffee Muffin

Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) with a rack positioned in the middle slot. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper baking liners, or lightly grease each cup with non-stick baking spray to prevent sticking during baking.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 240g all-purpose flour, 100g granulated white sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and 2 tbsp instant espresso powder for 30 seconds until fully combined, with no remaining clumps of espresso powder.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 room-temperature large eggs, 85g melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter, 120ml cooled strong brewed black coffee, 60ml room-temperature whole milk, 2 tbsp Irish whiskey, and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract until smooth, about 20 seconds of gentle whisking to avoid incorporating excess air.

Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, and fold gently with a silicone spatula just until no dry flour streaks remain—do not overmix, as small lumps in the batter are acceptable and overmixing creates tough, dense muffins. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling each liner exactly two-thirds full to leave room for rising.

Place the filled muffin tin on the middle rack of the preheated 190°C (375°F) oven and bake for 18-20 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of a middle muffin: it is done when the pick comes out with 2-3 moist crumbs attached, not raw wet batter. Once baked, transfer the tin to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove individual muffins to cool completely to room temperature (about 15 more minutes) before adding topping.

While muffins cool, add 120ml well-chilled heavy whipping cream, 2 tbsp powdered sugar, and the remaining 1 tbsp Irish whiskey to a cold medium mixing bowl. Whip with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, until soft, billowy peaks form that hold their shape but droop slightly at the tip—do not overwhip, as this will cause the cream to curdle and separate.

Dollop 1 heaping tablespoon of the prepared whiskey whipped cream on top of each fully cooled muffin, then dust each cream mound lightly with a pinch of unsweetened cocoa powder (using 1 tsp total across all 12 muffins) for a classic Irish coffee finish. Serve immediately, or chill in an airtight container for up to 2 hours before serving.