Baking

Chocolate Mocha Cake

Cake
1 1/2 cups plus 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa (preferable Dutch processed)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup brewed coffee, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon hot water
2 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
Chocolate shavings and powdered sugar for garnish Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter 2 (8-inch) cake pans and line with parchment.  Butter the parchment and flour pans, shaking out the excess.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Reserve.

In a mixer with a whip attachment, beat eggs and sugar until thick and lemon-colored.  Beat in vegetable oil.  Alternately add dry ingredients with buttermilk, scraping the bowl once or twice.  Add the coffee and vanilla to form a thin batter.  Divide between prepared cake pans.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, about 40 - 45 minutes.  Cool in pan for 15 minutes.  Invert onto cooling racks, peel off paper and cool completely.

When cool, split each cake in half with a serrated slicing knife.

Frosting
Dissolve coffee in water in a mixing bowl; cool.  Add cream and brown sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks form.  Place bottom cake layer on a serving plate; top with a layer of topping.  Repeat layers.  Use remaining frosting to cover the cake.  Shave chocolate and place decoratively on top of cake, sprinkle with powdered sugar. .  Store in the refrigerator.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
BACARDI RUM CAKE1 cup chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts
1 18-1/2 ounce yellow cake mix
1 (4-serving size) instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts on bottom of pan. Combine all cake ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan. Invert on serving plate. Prick top with fork. Drizzle glaze over top of Bacardi Rum Cake. Use brush or spoon to put extra dripping back on cake.

Glaze: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO COOKIES 

2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter 
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350

1. Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Then, add eggs one at time, mixing after each addition to make sure they are well combined.
2. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. I use a whisk to make sure the dry ingredients are well mixed.
3. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix everything until the ingredients are fully combined, but do not overbeat. Using a wooden spoon, stir in chocolate chips.
4. Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper. Using a 1 1/2" ice-cream scoop, or rounded teaspoon, drop dough on the sheet 2" apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and serve.
   THESE ARE BEST SERVED FRESH. THEY ARE VERY MOIST AND DELICIOUS BUT I HAVE FOUND THEY DRY OUT AFTER A DAY OR TWO.