Place your butter and shortening together in the bowl of your mixer. Mix them together on medium speed until they are nice and creamy.

Turn the mixer down to the lowest setting and slowly incorporate the powdered sugar into the shortening mixture.

Once you have added all the powdered sugar in to your mixture, add in the vanilla extract and then the hot water.

Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and continue mixing for 10 minutes until light and fluffy.

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.

Put paper liners in your cupcake pans or you can use silicone, which ever ones you prefer.

In a bowl whisk together the hot brewed coffee and cocoa, until dissolved and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In the bowl place the butter and sugars. Beat on medium-high speed of your mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the coffee-cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Mix each addition just until incorporated, being careful not to over mix.

Divide the batter between the prepared liners, filling each about two-thirds of the way full.

Bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pans briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make your cupcakes and allow them to cool completely.

While cooling make your buttercream frosting.

Once cupcakes are cooled pipe butter cream frosting on top.

On a baking sheet pour the coconut and dip the cupcakes into the coconut.

sprinkle the tops of the cupcakes with sanding sugar and add snowflake sprinkles on top.