I served this cake yesterday at our monthly staff meeting for our September birthdays. It’s easy to make and it provides great results. The cake is rich, crumby and chocolately and it’s topped with a smooth frosting that is full of peanut flavor. I doubled the recipe to make 2 9×13 cakes that I stacked. I can cut about 48 slices of cake when I use an 9×13 pan. I perfer cupcakes but 1 single cake it a lot easier to transport than a lot of cupcakes.

Super Rich Chocolate Cake

Serves 12-16 people

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup coffee*
• 1/2 cup cold water*
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 6 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, melted (Baker’s Brand is good)

Cake pans:

• Two or three 9 x 2- inch round cake pans
• One 9 x 13-inch cake pan
• Muffin Tin (Makes 24, No need to grease & flour prior to using cupcake liners)

 Process 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking pans by greasing and lightly flouring the cake pans. Line the bottoms with waxed paper
2. In a small bowl, wish together the cocoa, coffee, and water. Add in the vanilla extract. Set aside
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl (or freestanding mixer), using medium speed cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the melted chocolate, mixed thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the liquid ingredients, beating well after each addition.
5. Pour the batter into the pans, dividing evenly. Bake for 20-25 (cupcakes for 20-22) minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
6. When the cake has cooled, ice it with the Peanut Butter Frosting.

*If you want to taste more coffee flavor the use more coffee and less water, and wise versa. Any adjustments need to equal 1 1/2 cups of a coffee/water combination

Peanut Butter Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft
• 2 cups of creamy peanut butter (do not use natural)
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar (with more to add to reach desired consistency)

1. Beat the butter and peanut butter until creamy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add the milk and vanilla extract slowly and beat for 3 minutes, gradually add in the sugar and beat until creamy and of desired consistency.