Often when I am hosting a boring working meeting, I bring baked goods into the office as an extra incentive for my co-workers. Just because I enjoy talking about the tax code, the intricacies of 990 reporting, pooled income funds and the everlasting impacts on tax reform on the nonprofit sector, it doesn’t mean that my co-workers necessarily want to be held hostage in a conference room with me late in the day on a Monday.
So when I scheduled a training on the legal guidelines for marketing I made 4 dozen cupcakes, took this picture of the cupcakes and added it to the Outlook invite. I find that I straddle that “is this bribery” line very well. Attendance for the meeting was okay, but the word got out and people were circling the spot in the break room for the leftovers.
I am that person in my office that brings the baked goods in the Gladware container and leaves them in the break room with a sloppily written post-it note describing the contents. The mocha cupcakes didn’t last long. Because this espresso buttercream is a dream. It has just the right amount of espresso powder to balance out the sweetness of the powdered sugar. On top of the deep dark chocolate BraveTart’s Devil’s Food Cake: sheer perfection. I’m writing this post because several of my co-workers asked for the recipe and they did indulge my tax nerding that day.
BraveTart Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake
Devil's Food Cake recipe adapted from the BraveTart Cookbook by Stella Parks
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups black coffee
- 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder (Cacao Barry Extra Brute)
- 1 ¼ cup finely chopped dark chocolate (at least 72%)
- 2 cups gently packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 large eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º Prepare three 8 inch rounds with parchment paper and cooking spray. If you are making cupcakes, skip this step and set out cupcake lines in your muffin tins.
- Combine the butter and coffee in a 4 quart dutch oven and set over low heat. Once butter has melted, remove from heat.
- Whisk in the dutch process cocoa and dark chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Mix in the eggs and egg yolks until completely combined. Sift in the flour, followed by the baking soda. Continue to whisk until the batter comes together.
- Divide the batter among the pans or cupcake tins.
- For round cakes: bake for about 30 minutes.
- For cupcakes: bake for 20-22 minutes.
- To check the cake insert a toothpick or wooden skewer in the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached, the cake is done. You can also use an instant read thermometer -- the cake is done when the center reaches 210ºF.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting. This should take at least 90 minutes.
- Decorate with your favorite frosting.
Espresso Buttercream
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 sticks of butter (room temperature)
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
Instructions
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, throw in the room temperature butter and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until it starts to look creamy.
- While the butter is mixing, pour the heavy cream in a small liquid measuring cup and whisk in the espresso powder to dissolve. Set aside until ready to use.
- Add the powdered sugar to the butter and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Slowly add the heavy cream/espresso mixture and mix for 2-3 minutes more until the butter cream is the right consistency.
- Decorate the cupcakes.
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