Dark Chocolate Cake (With A Hint Of Coffee)

Happy Friday!  have a deep, dark and delicious chocolate cake, with a hint of coffee for you today!  If you are a chocolate lover, this cake is for you.

Dark, rich, not overly sweet, moist, it’s got it all going on.  It has a hint of coffee, enough to really compliment the chocolate, but if you aren’t a big coffee fan, don’t worry, it’s not overpowering, I promise.     And because this cake was going to be a special delivery to a special birthday girl, I needed to make a few cupcakes to keep around, for, um, “research purposes”.  🙂

So whip up some coffee and let’s bake a dark chocolate cake!

This cake is hardcore when it comes to chocolate.  But it’s also incredibly easy to make.  We are talking as simple as a cake mix (seriously, it is).   I honestly don’t make many cakes from scratch.   Cake mixes are great and so easy to doctor, that I usually go that route.  But this is a variation on one of my all time favorite, easy to make, homemade chocolate cake recipes from Hershey’s.   I’ve made it before, without the coffee, and you can see that post and my how to photos here.

The one thing I always warn people about with this recipe is that the batter is super thin – as in you may think you messed it up it’s so runny, type of thin.   But have faith.  It bakes into this wonderful moist cake, even though it goes into the oven seeming almost like a pan of chocolate water.   And remember, it can also be made into cupcakes (though they are a bit messy to make given how runny the batter is, but they are so worth it).

While I love a fancy cake, for some reason a dark chocolate cake like this, to me, just needs to be kept simple, no piping, nothing fancy, just here I am in all of my chocolate glory.   Like it’s telling you I’m a serious cake, I’m more than just good looks.   I usually top this recipe with just sprinkles or as I did with this, some bittersweet chocolate shavings (made with a bar of bittersweet chocolate and the same peeler I use for my carrots!).

Ready for the recipe? Here you go!

Deep, Dark & Delicious Chocolate Cake With A Hint Of Coffee

This rich, delicious dark chocolate cake, with just a hint of coffee, is perfect for chocolate lovers. Recipe adapted from Hershey's Kitchens.

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Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling coffee

Frosting

• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 cup coffee room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt optional

Instructions

Cake

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans, one 13x9x2-inch baking pan or line a muffin pan with 24 cupcake liners.
• Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
• Add eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling coffee (batter will be very thin). Mix until well combined.
• Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan, approximately 20-25 minutes for cupcakes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely prior to frosting. (Cake may be left in rectangular pan, if desired.)

Frosting

• Beat butter in medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and cocoa alternately with milk and coffee, beating to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed depending up your desired consistency). Stir in vanilla and salt (if using).

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