Chocolate Cake

I was about half asleep when I wrote the last post.  I meant to include my favorite chocolate cake/cupcake recipe.  I'm a huge fan of chocolate.  This is wonderful because it has fresh brewed coffee as one of the ingredients.  The coffee really sets off the chocolate.  Yum, I want to make some more right now.

It's hard to see past the strawberries, but there are chocolate cupcakes too

I have used this recipe with all types of frosting.  It went well with my recent experiment with strawberry icing.  I sometimes bake this in a bundt cake pan and then pour chocolate ganache over the top...when I'm really needing a chocolate fix.

I recently cut the recipe in half.  I like to make desert for small get together or random treats for ourselves.  The halved recipe keeps me from over indulging.  The recipe makes approximately 6 jumbo cupcakes or 12 small cupcakes.  However, if you want to make a cake, I would suggest doubling this recipe.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (table salt can be used)

1/2 cup buttermilk*
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup fresh coffee

*I often do not have buttermilk on hand.  You can make a buttermilk substitute by mixing 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 Tbsp of lemon juice.  Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.


Directions:
1.  Stir together the first 5 ingredients until well combined.
2.  In large liquid measuring cup, measure buttermilk to 1/2 cup.  Then add the 1/4 cup vegetable oil to bring up to 3/4 cup.  Then add the egg and vanilla.  Mix together with a fork.
3.  Slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
4.  Add coffee and mix.  The batter will seem overly runny.  But it will bake up perfectly.
5.  Bake at 350 for around 20-22 minutes for 6 jumbo cupcakes.  The smaller cupcakes take around 18 minutes. A cake bakes for about 35 minutes.  However, keep a close eye on all for the last several minutes.  Each oven bakes differently.  They are done when a knife or tooth pick inserted comes out clean.