This is my spin on a recipe that a friend posted recently. After looking at it closer, I realized that it was a similar version of my favorite chocolate cake recipe (Althouse Chocolate Wedding Cake) that I’ve been using ever since our wedding in 1988. I adore this recipe. Since it’s a chocolate cake that uses oil and vinegar instead of milk, butter, and eggs, it’s an easy recipe to have on hand anytime. I’ve made this in a 9×13, 9″ rounds, 8″ rounds, as well as cupcakes… it freezes beautifully and thaws just as well. Simply put, this is the one chocolate cake recipe to keep on hand for any occasion. NOTE: This recipe is a “half recipe”… if you want to make a 9×13 or two rounds, you’ll need to double this recipe.
MOCHA WINE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE RECIPE:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 T cocoa (Hershey’s cocoa works well)
6 t oil (I use vegetable oil, but have used olive oil)
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup coffee (I used espresso)
1/2 cup red wine (I used a Meritage, dry red)
Directions:
Mix ingredients together, spoon into cupcake tins, and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
NUTELLA FROSTING:
Ingredients:
6 T Nutella
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 t vanilla
Directions:
Mix together, using an electric mixer, until thoroughly smooth.
NOTES:
- I have each of these ingredients on hand at any given time, so it’s easier than worrying if I have a cake mix in the cupboard. I might not have all the ingredients for the frosting in my cupboard, but even pre-made frosting tastes pretty darn yummy when paired with this cake.
- This is my very favorite chocolate cake recipe and I hope that it becomes one of yours as well.
- The original recipe called for 1 cup of water instead of 1/2 cup coffee and 1/2 cup wine. I have made this recipe with water, with water/wine, with water/coffee, and with coffee/wine. I find that this recipe is pretty forgiving and tastes great in any form. 🙂
Hi this is skyler im the usaa rep that solved your check dilema and I tried the cup cakes today and they blew my mind so thanks for telling me about your blog 🙂
Thanks, Skyler! Hope you like the rest of the recipes as well… Thanks so much for all your help yesterday!
[…] week, so I made a special cake for her. The recipe for the cake is already posted on this blog here (although I substituted the coffee with more wine), but it was the frosting that was special for […]