Ingredient: espresso powder

Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Maple Espresso Icing

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Maple Espresso Icing

Tender, moist chocolate banana bread loaded with mini chocolate chips, topped with maple espresso icing by Brownie Mischief
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients
  

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

  • 1 ¼ cups (160g) all purpose flour, sifted plus 1 teaspoon for the mini chocolate chips
  • â…“ cup (30g) Dutch process unsweetened dark cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (115m) vegetable oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • â…“ cup (78ml) buttermilk
  • â…” cup (160g) mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
  • ½ cup (85g) mini semisweet chocolate chips

Maple Espresso Icing

  • 1 ½ tablespoons (23ml) maple syrup
  • 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • ½ teaspoon pure maple extract
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions
 

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of an 8 x 4-inch or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the inside of the baking pan with a mixture of equal parts flour and cocoa powder.
  • In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until well combined.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together, by hand or with an electric mixer, the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk until smooth and well blended. Stir in the mashed bananas. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. In a small bowl, toss the mini chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of flour, then stir them into the batter.
  • Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes. If you hit melted chocolate chips, insert another toothpick in a different spot. You can also use an instant read thermometer to check for doneness. The internal temperature should be approximately 200ºF (95ºC). Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a cooling rack.

Maple Espresso Icing

  • In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of cream, the espresso powder and maple extract, until the espresso powder is dissolved. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar and continue whisking until well combined. Add additional cream until the desired consistency is reached. whisk until smooth. Spread the icing over the top of the cooled loaf.

Notes

To find the loaf pan I used, click here.
Keyword banana, chocolate, loaf

Mocha Pumpkin Spice Bread

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Mocha Pumpkin Spice Bread

It wouldn’t be fall without PSL’s and pumpkin bread. This ultra moist, plush version of pumpkin bread has mocha batter swirled through it and a rich chocolate glaze that takes it over the top. It’s dangerously delicious and nearly impossible to eat just one slice. I think this might just become your new favorite fall baking recipe.

 

Mocha Pumpkin Spice Bread

by Mari Vasseur
Soft, ultra moist pumpkin spice bread, swirled with mocha and topped with a shiny chocolate glaze
Print Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients
  

Mocha Pumpkin Spice Bread

  • 1 cup (128g) all purpose flour, sifted Plus extra for dusting the pan
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • â…” cup (152ml) avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice, divided
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup (59ml) evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed milk)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (180g) canned pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 tablespoons (11g) unsweetened dark dutch process cocoa powder Plus extra for dusting the pan
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons espresso powder

Chocolate Glaze

  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 3 ounces (85g) semisweet or dark chocolate bar, chopped
  • 1 ½ tablespoons (23g) corn syrup or 1 tablespoon (21g) honey

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottom of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the insides with a mixture of equal parts unsweetened cocoa powder and flour.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended.
  • Set aside one tablespoon (15ml) of the oil. In a large bowl, beat the remaining oil, the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, evaporated milk and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Beat in the pumpkin purée until incorporated. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
  • Place one cup (237g) of the batter in a separate medium-sized bowl. Add the cocoa powder, espresso powder and the reserved one tablespoon of oil. Mix until incorporated.
  • Place half of the pumpkin batter into the baking pan. Scoop the mocha batter into the pan, alternating with scoops of the remaining pumpkin batter. Swirl the batter with a skewer. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached (not wet batter), about 35-45 minutes. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the loaf out and continue cooling on a cooling rack.

Chocolate Glaze

  • Melt the butter, chocolate, and corn syrup together in a medium-sized heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir gently until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly then spoon the glaze over the cooled loaf and let it drip down the sides.

Notes

To find the 9 x 5 inch loaf pan I used, click here.
Keyword cake, loaf, mocha, pumpkin spice

Caramel Latte Brownies

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

These rich, fudgy, coffee scented brownies, with caramel and whipped cream topping are inspired by one of my favorite coffee shop drinks, a caramel latte. I was thinking about how to get the caramel inside the brownies. With some methods, the caramel ends up over baked and chewy. Then I remembered poke cakes from my childhood. You poke holes all over a baked cake and pour whatever you like on top to soak into the holes. It worked beautifully with these brownies. To finish them off, I topped them with fluffy cream cheese whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel.

Caramel Latte Brownies

Rich, moist coffee scented brownies soaked with caramel, topped with fluffy cream cheese whipped cream and drizzled with more caramel.
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup (6 oz or 170g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 6 oz (170g) bittersweet chocolate (70-72%), finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process or dark
  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  • 1 tablespoon espresso powder
  • 1 ½ cups (10 1/2 oz or 300g) sugar
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract, divided
  • 1 cup (4 1/2 oz or 128g) all purpose flour, sifted
  • â…“ cup (3 5/8 oz or 107ml) caramel sauce, purchased or homemade
  • 3 oz (85g) cream cheese, softened
  • 6 tablespoons (1 1/2 oz or 46g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • ¾ cup (6 oz or 177ml) cold heavy whipping cream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 325ºF. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of inches of overhang.
  • In a large heat safe bowl, melt the butter together with the chocolate, in the microwave or on the stovetop over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, hot water and espresso powder until smooth.
  • Whisk the cocoa powder mixture, sugar and salt into the warm melted chocolate mixture until well combined.
  • Add the eggs, egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth.
  • Stir in the flour just until combined, scraping the bottom of the bowl as needed.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with moist crumbs on it, about 25-28 minutes. Do not over bake. Let cool completely.
  • Once cool, remove the brownies from the pan and place on a serving platter. Using a chopstick, poke holes in the brownies, about 1 inch apart, to within 1 inch from the edges.
  • Spread caramel sauce over the surface of the brownies with a small offset spatula.
  • In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, with an electric mixer, until smooth. Gradually add the heavy cream and beat to stiff peaks.
  • Spread or pipe the whipped cream onto the brownies. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce.
Keyword brownies, caramel latte, chocolate

Vintage Chocolate Cake

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Dark Chocolate Cake with the Best Chocolate Frosting

If you love chocolate cake, this is the post for you! Chocolate cake is one of the best comfort foods there is. I’ve tasted many over the years, but my all time favorite was one I had growing up. I’ve spent years trying to duplicate the moist, nostalgic cake from my childhood. I noticed that nearly every chocolate cake recipe on the internet is a variation of the century-old recipe from the Hershey’s Cocoa tin. I think many people have passed it down as a family recipe, each grandmother adding her own personal touch. Even some celebrity chefs have claimed it as their own. It’s an easy, delicious, moist recipe and its popularity is well deserved. You can tweak the flavor additions a bit to make it your own too. It’s a recipe that’s hard to mess up.

This cake is topped with the ultimate silky, smooth, deeply chocolate frosting. I developed this recipe mostly because I couldn’t find a chocolate frosting recipe that didn’t taste gritty and/or look speckled from the cocoa powder. Swiss meringue buttercream with melted chocolate added is one alternative. But, while it is smooth, silky and perfect for piping, it’s missing that deep chocolate richness. Another option is chocolate ganache. It looks rich and creamy in those viral videos, but it’s a little too rich and overpowering to use as frosting in my opinion.

I think this frosting is the one! It has the best of both worlds, velvety but not too rich. You’ll notice that this frosting contains maple syrup. The syrup gives it a very subtle maple flavor in the background, but mostly, it helps to make the frosting silky and gives it shine. You can adjust the sweetness level of the frosting by choosing the chocolate you prefer. I used bittersweet chocolate, which I think is just right. This recipe makes enough frosting to frost a 2-layer 6-inch cake. You can easily double the recipe for larger cakes.

Vintage Chocolate Cake

by Mari Vasseur
Rich moist classic chocolate cake with silky chocolate buttercream frosting
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 1 2-layer 6-inch cake

Ingredients
  

Chocolate Cake

  • 1 â…› cup (145g) all purpose flour, sifted Plus more for dusting the pans
  • ½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted Plus more for dusting the pans
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 â…“ cups (265g) sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • â…” cup (155ml) buttermilk
  • â…“ cup (70ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • â…” cup (155ml) hot coffee or espresso

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • ½ cup (148ml) pure maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) water
  • ¾ cup (67g) unsweetened Dutch process or dark cocoa powder, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon espresso powder optional
  • 1 ¼ cups (283g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 8 oz (227g) dark, bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped *not chocolate chips

Instructions
 

Chocolate Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line the bottoms of two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the insides and dust with a mixture of equal parts flour and cocoa powder. Wrap the cake pans with damp cake strips if you have them.
  • Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium-sized bowl. Add the sugar and stir until well blended.
  • Combine the the egg, egg yolk, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Whisk lightly to combine.
  • Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and beat, on low speed with an electric mixer, until combined. Stop the mixer. Scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a spatula. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add the hot coffee and stir until well combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans, dividing batter evenly between the pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 25-28 minutes without cake strips or about 28-32 minutes with cake strips.
  • Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes then remove the cakes from the pans and transfer to a cooling rack.
  • Trim the cake layers to your desired thickness, from 1-inch to 1 1/2-inches thick. Fill and frost with chocolate buttercream frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together the maple syrup, water, cocoa powder and espresso powder until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • Melt the chocolate in a medium-sized heat safe bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and pale. Add the powdered sugar and salt and continue beating until smooth and well combined. Gradually add the the cooled maple syrup mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Stir in the melted chocolate until well blended. Smooth out any air bubbles by stirring gently with a rubber spatula.

Notes

*For smoothest results, use chopped bar chocolate and make sure chocolate is completely melted.  Do not use chocolate chips. Chocolate chips do not melt completely and can make your frosting lumpy.
 
Keyword cake, chocolate

The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Posted on by Mari Vasseur
Dark Chocolate Cake with the Best Chocolate Frosting

If you’ve landed here from Instagram, welcome! You’ll notice that this is an ad-free website with no annoying pop-ups. I work very hard creating and testing delicious recipes to share with you. So if you like this recipe or any of my other popular recipes, make sure to follow me on Instagram and/or TikTok.

This is the ultimate silky, smooth, deeply chocolate frosting. I developed this recipe mostly because I couldn’t find a chocolate frosting recipe that didn’t taste gritty and/or look speckled from the cocoa powder. Swiss meringue buttercream with melted chocolate added is one alternative. But, while it is smooth, silky and perfect for piping, it’s missing that deep chocolate richness. Another option is chocolate ganache. It looks rich and creamy in those viral videos, but it’s a little too rich and overpowering to use as frosting in my opinion.

I think this frosting is the one! It has the best of both worlds, velvety but not too rich. You’ll notice that this frosting contains maple syrup. The syrup gives it a very subtle maple flavor in the background, but mostly, it helps to make the frosting silky and gives it shine. You can adjust the sweetness level of the frosting by choosing the chocolate you prefer. I used bittersweet chocolate, which I think is just right. This recipe makes enough frosting to frost a 2-layer 6-inch cake. You can easily double the recipe for larger cakes.

 

The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

by Mari Vasseur
Silky smooth chocolate frosting with an intense chocolate flavor
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup (148ml) pure maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) water
  • ¾ cup (67g) unsweetened Dutch process or dark cocoa powder, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon espresso powder optional
  • 8 ounces (113g) bittersweet 70-72%) or semisweet chocolate, chopped Not chocolate chips**
  • 1 ¼ cups (283g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions
 

  • In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together the maple syrup, water, cocoa powder, and espresso powder until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • Melt the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir gently until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer at medium speed, until smooth and light in color. Add the powdered sugar and salt and continue beating until smooth and well blended.
  • Gradually add the cooled maple syrup mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Stir in the melted chocolate until well blended. Smooth out any air bubbles by stirring gently with a rubber spatula.

Notes

*To find my favorite Dutch process cocoa powder, click here.
**For the smoothest results, use chopped bar chocolate and make sure chocolate is completely melted.  Do not use chocolate chips. They contain an ingredient which prevents them from melting completely and may make your frosting lumpy.