Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2-3 liners (this recipe makes 14-15 cupcakes). Set aside.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tsp instant coffee, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the sugar and eggs until pale, thick, and creamy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, drizzle in the oil until it is fully incorporated.
¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs, ¼ cup oil
Combine the buttermilk, coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a glass measuring cup and set aside.
⅔ cup buttermilk, 1 ¼ tsp red food coloring gel, 2 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp vinegar
Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the batter (beginning and ending with flour mixture) in 3 different additions until combined. Do not over mix.
Fill each liner ⅔ full and bake for 17-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.