Guess what the secret ingredient is for the best chocolate cake/cupcake recipe you’ve ever had.. piping hot COFFEE. When I first found this recipe I thought there was no way it would turn out, but boy was I wrong. This makes the moistest cake. My friend Jackie and I kept it simple and made the frosting a light purple, adding colored sugar in a Valentine’s Day hue.

Chocolate Cupcakes

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups good cocoa powder
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, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Preheat the oven to 350° f.             Line cupcake pan with liners to fit the occasion. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl. With an electric mixer, mix on low speed until combined then slowly add the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Lastly, with the mixer still on low, add the coffee, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour 1/4 cup into each cupcake liner and bake for 20 to 35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before icing.

Icing

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Food coloring

Put the room temperature butter in a bowl and beat with electric mixer beat on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and almond and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Add food coloring to your liking.

Spread on cupcakes and decorate as you like.

Lastly, enjoy!