Y’all, have I got a recipe for you! This Cherry Chocolate Espresso Cake will make you weep. I have adapted it from a Lauren Kelp recipe. It takes effort, I won’t lie. It has a lot of steps, but in the end you will be lost in a sea of chocolate espresso bliss, whispering, “Thank you, Kathy, thank you!”
Chocolate Espresso Cake
1.5 cups of dark chocolate chips
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of instant espresso
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
4 cups of flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp of baking powder
2 cups of unsalted butter (4 sticks)
6 large eggs
3 cups sugar
1.5 tbsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream Icing
1/2 cup of egg whites
1 cup of granulated sugar
1.5 cups of butter (cubed, room temp)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 oz. dark chocolate (melted and cooled)
cinnamon for dusting
cherries for garnish
For Your Cake:
Preheat your oven to 350. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans. In a small saucepan, slowly melt your dark chocolate on medium low heat and set aside.
In a small pot, bring your water to boil and stir in the instant espresso. Pour in your melted chocolate and whisk until completely combined. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. In your mixer, whip your butter until fluffy. Add in your sugar, vanilla and eggs. Beat until combined.
Add in your espresso/chocolate mixture to your mixer and combine.
Bring your flour mixture over and slowly add it to your batter. I like to do mine cup by cup on low speed until smooth.
Measure out 4 cups of batter for each pan. Drop your filled cake pans on the counter a few times before placing in the oven to pop any bubbles inside the batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cool on a cake rack.
Icing:
In your mixer, whisk your egg whites and sugar into a meringue. This takes about 7-10 minutes. Slowly add in the cubed butter a few cubes at a time. Once smooth, add in your vanilla and melted chocolate. Whip until smooth. You will know it’s ready when you can lift the head of your mixer and the icing sticks to the attachment.
Ice your cake once cooled, and dust with cinnamon. Add your cherries as garnish.
Enjoy that cake like it’s your last meal!
Don’t forget to vote for your favorite chocolate cake for our National Baking Day Contest!
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Eats & Drinks | National Baking Day Chocolate Cake Contest
[…] And Creative Lifestyle Director Kathy Kitzmiller’s Cherry Chocolate Espresso Cake. Cherry Chocolate Espresso Cake has the best of two worlds. Espresso for the coffee-obsessed and chocolate–dark chocolate, for that decadent taste. This cake will make you feel fancy, even if you are just lounging in your sweatpants. Recipe here. […]