Ciao, 2011- it's been real. Let's go out with a bang... and a super moist chocolate cake!

Well, another year over. 2011 has come to a close and with less than 24 hours left of this nutty year, we wanted to send you off properly... with the most moist, rich, delicious, sweet and overall decadent chocolate cake you will ever have (no matter what year it is). Topped with a butterscotch buttercream, this cake delivers in all things rich and guilty. Before we wash our slate's clean, let's dirty it up one more time with this cake ;)

Here's to hoping you bring closure to 2011 and embrace a new year with love, health, happiness... and perhaps a cupcake recipe or a new dish that keeps you open minded both in the kitchen, and in life.

Cheers!!! Here's to 2012 and another year of Gourmet Pantry delicious-ness!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tbsp instant coffee

pinch salt

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup sour cream

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 375F and spray your cake pan REALLY WELL- this moist cake will stick like whoa, you may even want to line it with sprayed parchment paper if you have any (although I didn't and it came out fine, but next time I make this I might do that).

In a large bowl, sift your dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, instant coffee, salt, baking powder & baking soda. Mix & sift well. 

In a bowl of your stand mixer or hand held mixer, gently combine the eggs, sugar, oil, extract, and milk. Once combined, add the dry ingredients a bit at a time to slowly incorporate. Lastly, add the sour cream and beat until your creamy batter has been formed and all lumps are gone. Pour into your cake or cupcake pans and bake (20-25 minutes for a cake, 15 for cupcakes or until your toothpick comes out clean).

*This recipe make 1 small cake and 48 mini cupcakes as I did, or 2 large cakes for layering. It makes a lot of batter, so be prepared!*

Butterscotch Buttercream:

1 stick unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 cup butterscotch morsels, melted

1/4 cup milk

In your mixer, whip the butter with 1 cup confectioner's sugar until incorporated. Add the melted (but cooled) butterscotch, and add milk and remaining confectioner's sugar... alternating until your frosting is fully whipped and combined. Will be a very light brown/beige color. Gorgeous!!!

Frost cakes and cupcakes ones cooled completely, this moist cake really needs to be cool before pouring anything onto it, otherwise it will break. Now, time to serve..... and indulge :)