Just close your eyes and you can almost taste this incredible cupcake :)

Finding the perfect cupcake to make is hard work!  Well I have done all the work for you by bringing you to my website for these unbelievably moist cupcakes with a triple shot of decadent flavor, dark chocolate, banana and delicious espresso.  You can't go wrong with this combination! Not too dense, not too light, just perfect so you can Mangialicious!
 
I frosted these cupcakes with my Whipped Chocolate Espresso Ganache frosting.  You can get the recipe here.

Glad you opened your eyes for these?!  Give them a try, let me know what you think.

​Makes 16 cupcakes
 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp melted butter
4 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup raw sugar (Turbinado sugar)
2 large eggs , room temperature
1 vanilla bean (split and seeds scraped out)
1/2 cup mashed bananas
1/4 cup almond milk (you can substitute regular milk)
3 tbsp brewed espresso
 
Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Prepare 2 cupcake trays with muffin papers.
 
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder.  In a separate large bowl beat together the butter, oil, sugars, eggs and vanilla bean seeds with an electric mixer on medium speed.   Next slowly beat in the flour mixture followed by the almond milk and espresso.   Then beat in the mashed bananas with the mixer on low.
 
Fill the cupcake papers about 2/3 full, and bake for 15-18 minutes depending on your oven and until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on baking rack and then frost (although I may have ate one or two without frosting :) )

Pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy!!  Or . . . finish off that espresso you used to make the frosting.

​I have seen this cake in several cookbooks but have never attempted it.  The cooked frosting always scared me.  How could you put hot frosting on a warm cake?  Well, the results are divine.  I would place this cake in the top 5 cakes I have ever eaten.  This cake is easy to make and comes out moist and flavorful.

 I used Almond butter instead of the traditional Peanut butter in my recipe because I love the flavor of almonds but you could substitute Peanut butter if you like.  Once you make this cake it will become part of your regular rotation (everyone has a regular cake rotation right?).

​Ingredients
For the Cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
6 tbsps butter
3/4 cup water
6 tbsps almond butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/8 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
 
For the Frosting:
6 tbsps butter
6 tbsps almond butter
4 tbsps buttermilk (you might need a touch more if your frosting is too stiff)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
 
Garnish (optional)
1/2 sliced almonds
 
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F
Spray a 8x8 pan
 
Cake:
Mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
 
Place the butter and water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the almond butter and oil until smooth. Let cool for a few minutes. 
Measure the buttermilk, then add the eggs and vanilla to the measuring cup and whisk until well blended.
 
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and whisk until just combined.
 
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 32-35 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set the cake on a cooling rack while you make the frosting.
 
Frosting:
Add the butter, almond butter, and buttermilk to a medium sized saucepan and bring to a full boil.  Remove from the heat and beat in the vanilla and powdered sugar.  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, stirring constantly, until the frosting is smooth.  Pour the hot frosting over the cake.  The cake will still be warm.  Work quickly because the frosting sets up immediately.  Spread evenly over the cake.  Let the cake cool before serving.
 
 If your frosting is stiff and not pourable, add a little more buttermilk to thin it out.

​After serving this to your family or guests you will definitely be thanking me!  I am sure your family will think it is just as Mangialicious as mine.  Enjoy!

​Cherries and almonds, two of my favorite things.  When combined in this cake the flavors are incredible.  I am not the baker in this family, as a matter of fact, baking stresses me!  All that measuring and timing and testing, ugh!  But I do like sweets so I needed to expand my cooking techniques to include baking.  What I have learned so  far in baking is, I usually have to make something twice to get it perfect.  I am hoping the more I bake, the more I can get it right the first time :)  Although eating my mistakes doesn't seem to be a problem.  

​This cake is perfect.  It is moist and delicious.  I purposely made an enormous amount of frosting for it so that it goes on really thick!  The frosting is also not too sweet so that the flavor of the cream cheese comes through, the cherries then provide that extra sweetness.  Oh and did I mention how pretty this cake is, well you will see that for yourself.  I hope you enjoy!

​Ingredients:
For the cake:
3/4 cup softened butter
3/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon Kirsch cherry liquor (or any brand of cherry liquor) - optional
1 cup flour
1 cup almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 ½ cups fresh cherries halved and pitted
 
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
1 ½ cup powdered sugar
16 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
 
For the Topping:
¼ cup sliced almonds, broken into smaller pieces with your hand
1 cup fresh cherries, roughly chopped
Sprinkle of powdered sugar (optional)
 
Instructions:
To make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350° F
Grease an 8 in square cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
 
Cream the butter and sugar together until mixed well. Beat in the eggs until well blended. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.  In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine the flour, almond flour, salt and baking powder. Add half of this to the egg mixture, along with the almond extract, Kirsch and half of the milk, mix until combined. Then repeat with the remaining half of the flour mixture and then remaining milk. Mix until all the flour is combined.
 
Lightly coat the cherries with a tablespoon of flour and fold into the cake batter.  Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
 
Bake for 35 minutes, or until the cake is golden-brown. Remove from oven. Let cool for five minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack.  After my cake cooled I returned it to the pan, the pan keeps it moist and it was pretty :)
 
To make the Frosting:
Add the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to a bowl and beat until combined.  Then add the milk and beat until smooth.
 
Spread the frosting over the cake once the cake has completely cooled.
 
Then add the Topping:
Sprinkle the almond slices and chopped cherries on top of the frosting. Add a dusting of powdered sugar for extra pizzazz!

​Store the leftover cake in the refrigerator and take it out at least a half an hour before serving.  I hope you and yours enjoy this cake as much as we did!  As always, Mangialicious.