Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1.75 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoons salt
2 cups hot water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple sauce
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (or 2 teaspoons instant espresso granules)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini chocolate chips
CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (scharffen berger)
2 tablespoons coconut oil (optional)
1/4 cup skim milk
1 pinch salt
1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (sifted)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350° and spray two 8″ cake pans OR 24 muffin liners OR 12 mini-Bundt cake pans with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, whisk all dry ingredients (flour through salt) together. In a measuring cup, stir hot water with oil, vinegar, instant coffee/espresso and vanilla together. Pour into bowl with dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. DO NOT OVERSTIR. Stir in chocolate chips if using. Pour batter into pans and bake for 30 - 35 minutes (until cake tester/wooden skewer comes out clean). (Bake cupcakes for 15 - 20 minutes, and mini-Bundt cakes for 20 - 23 minutes.) Cool cakes on a rack for 15 minutes then remove cakes/ cupcakes to finish cooling. GLAZE: melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in microwave for 45 seconds, then stir and melt again in 30-second increments, stirring until smooth. Stir in sifted icing sugar until glaze reaches thick pouring consistency. Add pinch salt. Add milk as needed. Pour 1/3 over one cake layer, then place second layer overtop and pour remaining 2/3 of icing overtop, allowing some to drip over edges of cake. (If making cupcakes or mini-Bundt cakes, simply pour overtop and sprinkle mini chocolate chips on glaze while still wet/unset.)
