Jake's Twenty-First Birthday

My boyfriend Jake turned twenty-one and I wanted to share what I made him, chocolate coffee cupcakes with a whipped chocolate cream frosting with strawberries atop.  Also coffee and cheese filled croissants.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Cocoa Powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (I used one cup regular milk and one Tablespoon vinegar to make my own sour milk)

1 cup brewed strong black coffee (I used instant coffee)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In mixing bowl mix eggs, buttermilk, oil, and almond extract together.

Gradually add in dry ingredients.  Then mix in hot/boiling coffee.

You should have a thin batter.

Pour batter evenly into prepared cupcake tins.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.

Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting I took the easy way out and used chocolate cool whip instead of making my own.  The chocolate cool whip is incredible.  I had never had it before, but my boyfriend wanted chocolate on chocolate so I tried it and I now love it!  And then I just added a strawberry to the top to each cupcake.  These were a big crowd pleaser.  Everyone loved how moist each cupcake came out.  And the frosting was so light and lovely, especially with the strawberry.