Pre-heat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cupcake pan with cupcake liners or grease it with butter and flour.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
In another bowl, mix coffee, vinegar, vanilla and oil. Pour dry mixture over wet ingredients. Whisk briefly, until incorporated. Be careful not to overmix. As soon as you see no more streaks of dry mixture, stop whisking.
Distribute batter evenly in cupcake pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Remove and let it cool.
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Start by creaming the cream cheese and butter together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Keep creaming mixture for 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
Turn mixer off, add sifted powdered sugar in. Mix on low to combine. Once combined, raise speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.
Add vanilla and mix to combine.
If mixture is too thick, and not creamy enough, add one or two teaspoons of milk to thin it out. Or if your mixture is too runny and not enough sturdy to hold its shape, add some more sifted powdered sugar, a bit at a time, until you achieve the perfect consistency.
To assemble
I lined a piping bag with the Ateco tip number 9, and piped some of the peanut butter cream cheese frosting on top of the cupcakes. Then I topped each one with a Espresso Chocolate Peanut Butter Macaron.
STORAGE: Cupcakes will keep well in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days.
Frosting can be stored in the fridge, for up to 4 days. And in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. And in the freezer for up to 2 months, in a well sealed package.