Chocolate cupcakes (inspired by Ina Gartens Chocolate Cake)

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 cup strong coffee
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake pans with cupcake papers.
2. Place sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and sift in flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil, and vanilla extract. With the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Scoop into liners about half to three quarters full. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
5. Let cool completely before frosting.

Espresso Buttercream: (adapted from http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 to 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder, mixed in 2 tablespoons water

Beat butter on medium high, for 3 minutes. Slowly add in 2 cups powdered sugar, about a half a cup at a time. Once it is fully incorporated, carefully add the vanilla extract and espresso powder/water mixture.

At this point check the consistency of the buttercream. You should be able to lift the beaters and have the buttercream hold its shape. If it is too loose, add more powdered sugar, again 1/2 cup at a time(I needed 2 cups more).

Recipe: Tres Leches Cake (from thepioneerwoman.com)

Prep Time: 45 Minutes | Cook Time: 1 Hour | Difficulty: Easy | Servings: 12
Ingredients

1 cup All-purpose Flour
1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ teaspoons Salt
5 whole Eggs
1 cup Sugar, Divided
1 teaspoon Vanilla
⅓ cups Milk
1 can Evaporated Milk
1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
¼ cups Heavy Cream
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FOR THE ICING:
1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
3 Tablespoons Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high-speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high-speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.

Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can.

Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. To ice the cake, whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.