Basic Chocolate Cake/ Cupcakes

Ingredients :

4 oz Unsweetened chocolate -squares ( I use cooking chocolate)
1/2 c Shortening ( I replace this with butter instead )
2 c Sugar
2 Eggs
2 c Sifted cake flour
1/2 ts Baking powder
1 ts Baking soda
3/4 ts Salt
3/4 c Buttermilk
3/4 c Water
1 ts Vanilla extract
Recipe by: Southern Living

Directions :

Place chocolate in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil.

Reduce heat to low; cook until chocolate melts.

Cream shortening; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add chocolate, mixing well.

Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; add to chocolate mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Mix after each addition. Add water, mixing well. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES: Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin pans, filling each cup half full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool on wire

Source : FreeCookingRecipes.net