Cappuccino Cake–Lissa Matthews

I'm a coffee addict and this Cappuccino Cake is perfect for someone like me. In Pink Buttercream Frosting, my heroine Bailey is searching for the perfect chocolate cake recipe and I think this would work for her too.

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Chocolate Cake:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cups unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable or coconut oil

3 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with parchment. Lightly grease the parchment paper and sides of pan with butter or cooking spray.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.

In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. Slowly add the hot coffee and stir until just combined. Scrap the bottom of the bowl and don’t overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer pans from oven to cooling racks. After the cakes have cooled, carefully turn one layer out onto cake plate.

Cream Cheese Coffee Frosting:

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, cut into cubes

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1/3 cup strongly brewed coffee, at room temp

1 (8oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy. Slowly add in coffee until well combined. Fold in whipped topping with a spatula.

Refrigerate frosting for 30 minutes before spreading on cake

To Frost Cake: Turn one cake layer onto serving platter. Spread 1/2 the frosting over cake. Top with remaining cake layer and remaining frosting. Sprinkle cinnamon over top of cake. Sprinkle chocolate chips around outer edge of cake.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing.

Store in refrigerator.

(Note: I have found that the best cream cheese frosting is made by not softening the cream cheese beforehand. I cut it into cubes and beat a little at a time, adding more until all is incorporated. It seems to hold up better still cold.)

Desire: Blend sinful with sweet. Whip to perfection. Don’t forget to lick the spoon…

Aidn Greer is a much-sought-after Dominant in the BDSM lifestyle with an unusual problem. He hasn’t owned a submissive in more years than he cares to think about. He’s bored with unchallenging women, yet mentoring other Doms and training subs has left him cold as well. He’s craving something other than plain old vanilla—a taste of something sinfully sweet that, for once, he can really sink his teeth into.

Professional cake baker Bailey Harris wasted ten years bored to tears with her marriage, enduring a job she hated, and harboring a secret desire for something passionate, fulfilling and dark. Then she found it…in the world of BDSM. Exploring on her own brought the kind of mind-opening experiences that led her to declare her independence—and exposed a yearning to find the one Dom for whom she’s willing to kneel. Permanently.

When Aidn and Bailey meet, it’s fire and ice. Sugar and spice. And an experience that satisfies every detail of both their fantasies. Almost. While the big, beautiful sub is everything Aidn wanted, her fierce independent streak could be more of a challenge than he bargained for…

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www.lissamatthews.com