Corner Espresso Shop Chocolate Cake

Chocolate and Espresso, a natural combination (for me anyway). I came across the basic recipe in Famous Dave's Backroads Cookbook. It is wonderful, rich, and very sinful.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
• 2  tablespoons  espresso powder (I use the stuff from King Arthur's Flour)
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3⁄4 cup  baking cocoa (I use plain old Hersey's)
• 1  cup  brewed espresso (I stop in at Starbucks and buy 8 shots in a to-go cup if I am feeling lazy or am in town, Or you ca)
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄3 cup buttermilk
• 1⁄3 mayonnaise
• 2  eggs, beaten just till foamy
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
• 3⁄4 cup  softened butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter and flour 13x9-inch baking dish.
3. Mix first 6 ingredients together in a medium bowl.
4. Reheat your espresso if you had to buy it at a coffee shop and mix in the baking cocoa powder.
5. Add the vanilla and almond flavorings to the coffee/chocolate mixture.
6. In a large mixing bowl, whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, egg yolks, and vegetable oil.
7. Stir in that great smelling coffee mixture.
8. Don't lick the spoon!
9. Toss in the softened butter and 1/2 cup of the buttermilk mixture and mix well.
10. Don't lick the spoon!
11. Add all of the flour mixture.
12. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes.
13. Add the rest of the buttermilk mixture.
14. Don't lick the spoon!
15. Beat 1 to 2 minutes longer, scrapping sides of bowl occasionally.
16. Don't lick the spoon yet!
17. Spoon cake batter into prepared baking dish.
18. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
19. Cool in the pan.
20. While cake is baking, lick the spoon and the bowl if you can no longer resist.
21. When cake is room temperature frost with either Chocolate or White Buttercream Frosting- purchased or homemade.