Chocolate Cake with Cherry Mascarpone Frosting

One of my favorite times in the kitchen is side by side with my 8-year old son. Like many "fiercely independent" kids he wanted to make the cake and eat it too! I measured everything out and he mixed and frosted it himself. The frosting is a cherry mascarpone frosting(from my cupcake post) so good with chocolate (the coffee is the secret ingredient that brings out the richness). I also have to give him props as he is the photographer on this post also! We had a happy little dude….and my wife liked it too!

Ingredients-
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk (you can use any type of milk that you have, but buttermilk gives the cake the richness that a good chocolate cake has)
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 Large Eggs
1 Tbl Almond Extract
1 Cup Coffee Fresh Brewed

Directions-

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour 1 9x13 inch pan or two 9 inch round pans.
2. Sift all dry ingredients into bowl of an electric mixer.
3. In separate bowl mix buttermilk, veg. oil, eggs and almond extract.
4. On low speed in mixer mix dry ingredients with whisk attachment for one minute add wet ingredients mix for 1 minute add coffee and mix until just combined.
5. Pour into pan and put into oven for 30-35 minutes or until done.
6. Remove from pan and frost with what ever you want(this frosting is the cherry mascarpone frosting from my cupcake post enjoy.

Cupcakes with Cherry Marscapone Frosting

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So who doesn't have a jar of maraschino cherries in the fridge? We did for eight months. Ok, so there where only 6 cherries left in it. Why not go out and buy another jar because that makes all kinds of sense. This way I can use up one and maybe the second one as well, wait isn't having a new jar left over in the fridge how I got here?

Ingredients-

18 oz Box of White Cake Mix.( yes I know boxed cake mix? It was on sale for a dollar a box)
1 1/2 Cups Water

1 Large egg White.

1 Tbl Almond Extract

1 tsp Vanilla.

2 Tbl Butter melted.

Frosting-

1/2 Cup Heavy Cream.

8oz Marscapone

10oz Maraschino Cherries, cherries mashed and juice saved

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar.

Directions-

Frosting-

1. Add cream, marscapone and mix until cheese is smooth. Add Cherry juice about 1/2 cup and mix for 1 minute more.

2. While mixing add powdered sugar and mix 2-3 minutes. I like a smooth frosting, if you like a thicker frosting mix it longer but watch it because you don't want it to turn into cement.
3. Mash up the cherries in a bowl and fold it into frosting.

Cupcakes-

1. Heat oven to 325 Degrees.

2. Mix Cake mix, water, eggs, almond extract, vanilla and melted butter, for two min. in an electric mixer or hand mixer.

3. Line muffin tin with muffin liners, fill about 3/4 full with batter. Cook for 15-18 min. or until done.

4. When done let cupcakes cool completely, take off paper and cut the top off of the cupcake( or leave it on and frost the top do it how you like)

5. Spoon in frosting and put the tops back on and lightly cover with powdered sugar… enjoy!