Double Chocolate Cappuccino Cake Recipes

Steps:

• For coffee syrup:
• Combine all ingredients in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar and coffee dissolve. Let cool. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill.)
• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with waxed paper; butter paper. Dust with flour. Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted. Remove from over water.
• Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into medium bowl. Stir coffee powder into milk in another medium bowl until dissolved. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture in 3 additions. Divide batter between pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. Peel off paper.
• Cut each cake horizontally in half. Using bottom of tart pan as aid, transfer 1 cake layer, cut side up, to platter. Brush cake layer with 2 tablespoons syrup. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over cake layer. Repeat layering 2 times, using 1 cake layer, 2 tablespoons syrup and 3/4 cup frosting for each layer. Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining frosting over cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 standard muffin cups with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine espresso powder and 2 teaspoons hot water. Stir espresso and chocolate into batter; divide among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. Let cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to racks and let cool completely. (Unfrosted cupcakes may be stored, in airtight containers, at room temperature, up to 2 days.)
• Set a large bowl over (not in) a pot of barely simmering water. Add sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar and whisk constantly until mixture is warm and frothy and sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and, using an electric mixer, beat on medium until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Increase speed to high and beat until whites form medium-stiff, glossy peaks, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer frosting to a large zip-top bag and snip a 1/4-inch hole in one corner. Frost cupcakes, then finely grate some chocolate on top.