8 oz. (2 sticks) butter
8 oz. strong black coffee

  • combine in large pan and cook on low heat until butter is melted

2 oz. Dutch cocoa
4 oz. dark/72% chocolate, chopped

  • whisk in until combined

10 1/2 oz. brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

  • whisk in until combined

6 oz. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
4 eggs and 2 yolks, beaten

  • mix dry ingredients and fold into batter with eggs, being careful not to overmix
  • divide into two greased, parchment-lined 8” cake pans (about 23 oz. each) and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, until firm and internal temperature is 210°F
  • or fill cupcake liners with 1.75 oz. of batter and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes (makes 24-27 cupcakes)
  • cool completely before frosting with chocolate fudge frosting and/or filling with hazelnut ganache

source: Bravetart, p. 124-127

01/18/2024: the cake was perfect, but the frosting was trouble (over-chilling according to instructions made it split, so i had to melt it and re-mix) and didn’t taste as good as i wanted (not sweet enough, not chocolatey enough). it also made way too much for cupcakes.

02/04/2024: actually, i went ahead and found a couple of other frosting recipes that i think will work better.

and, the cake went well again, but i remembered that it wasn’t perfect like i said above - some of the second batch of cupcakes fell in the center (they were perfectly domed coming out of the oven). i think that leaving the frosting sit while the first batch are baking makes it get overmixed.

02/06/2024: the new frosting is perfect, so i’m moving those into the recipe. and everything that i’ve read about falling cupcakes indicates that too little baking powder/soda and overmixing are the most likely problems, so i’ve added some baking powder and added a comment about not overmixing.