When my husband and I were first married I looked far and wide for a chocolate cake recipe for his birthday. I wanted to wow him with my baking skills AND put to work my new Kitchen Aid stand mixer that I was able to purchase with wedding gift cards (thanks to awesome friends and family). I stumbled upon Barefoot Contessa's Beatty's Chocolate Cake recipe and haven't looked back. It's a winner EVERY time, and it's ridiculously easy (so much for showing off my skills)!
I don't even eat chocolate (GASP-- I know, what kind of a woman doesn't eat chocolate? But if you suffered from severe migraines due to food allergies, you wouldn't be eager to eat chocolate either-- I'm
happy avoid it!), so when I make this recipe I freeze about 1/2 of the cupcakes/ cake for future events.
**Fun fact-- the first time I made this cake my husband ate so much of it in one day that he made himself sick-- really, I'm shocked he even still likes it**
Usually I follow Ina's recipe exactly... sometimes I will add a little a little ceylon cinnamon to add a little spice.
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup good cocoa powder (I use the special dark because my husband LOVES dark chocolate)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (shaken)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 extra large eggs (room temperature-- you don't want cooked eggs in your cupcakes!)
- 1 teaspoon pure (good) vanilla extract-- I use Madagascar vanilla from Green Man Gourmet in Avondale-- they are awesome!
- 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee (brings out the rich flavor of the chocolate-- cake doesn't taste much like coffee believe it or not)
- Preheat oven to 350 and line muffin tins.
- In your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix: flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa on low until combined.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry.
- Add the cup of hot coffee and stir only to combine (make sure to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl).
- Pour batter into a glass measuring cup with spout (this will make pouring batter into muffin tins easier-- batter is very thin). Fill each muffin tin 1/2 full (no more or cake will spill over).
- Bake for about 15 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- I swear it is just that easy!
Vanilla Coffee Buttercream
It's taken me a few times to perfect my attempts with coffee buttercream, but I do believe that this recipe is my favorite so far! I used the base of the recipe from The Kitchen is my Playground and then just made it work with what I had in my kitchen. I didn't have instant coffee, so I adapted the recipe using fresh brewed and then chilled coffee.
Ingredients:
- 4 Tablespoons freshly brewed and chilled coffee
- 1 Tablespoon real Madagascar vanilla extract
- 3 sticks unsalted (softened) butter
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- Beat softened butter in bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 1 minute or until fluffy.
- Turn speed to low and add confectioners sugar one cup at a time (scrape down sides and make sure it is fully incorporated).
- Increase speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes.
- Add coffee and beat on low speed to combine. Scrape down sides and increase speed to medium and beat for about 4 minutes.
- Fill pastry bag and have fun piping away! I added a little dark chocolate chip to the top just for a little extra decoration.
Happy 31st birthday to the best husband in the whole entire world. Doodle Bug and I are so lucky to have you!
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