Chocolate & coffee cake

It seems I have created my own tradition. I've never created a tradition before, so I don't know if it actually counts...
My friend Steph and I have breakfast together on our birthdays. Breakfast with just us, because everybody else works and can't have breakfast during the week.
This started last year, when I wanted to do something for my birthday, but everyone in my family was busy, and so Steph took care of me and we went out for breakfast together.
This year, Steph's family were all busy, so I took care of her and we went out for breakfast.



Does this count as a tradition? If it happens two years in a row, that's a tradition, right?
I guess we'll have to wait until next year to see if it sticks, but I hope it does.
Another good birthday tradition that I did obviously not come up with, is cake.


Cake and presents. That's a good tradition that everyone should get in on, if you're not already.
Cake and presents and candles. I know I said that when you turn 23 you don't get candles, but 22 is different. You still get candles when you turn 22. Didn't you know?


It was hard deciding what cake to make for Steph. She doesn't like cheesecake, or carrot cake. She does like coffee though, so that's the direction I went in.
Coffee and chocolate, what a good combination! Perfect for a girl with a coffee addiction.
I actually baked this cake in a vintage jelly mold, because I didn't have a decorative bundt pan, which is what I originally wanted to use. The jelly mold wasn't very big, so I made 6 cupcakes as well.
If you wanted to make all cupcakes, I think this recipe would make 12. Just raise the temperature of the oven and shorten the baking time by about 5-10 mins.



Chocolate and coffee cake:
From Sweetapolita


225g butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved into 3/4 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream (1 x 220mL tub)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and flour a 10 cup bundt tin.

Melt butter in a large saucepan. 

Add cocoa, stirring until smooth. 

Whisk in coffee water. Remove pan from heat.

Stir in sugar, sour cream, vanilla and eggs.

Add remaining ingredients, stirring until well blended.

Pour into prepared tin. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until skewer inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool in tin for 20 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Cool completely before icing.

Chocolate and coffee glaze:

Adapted from Sweetapolita

100g dark chocolate

75g unsalted butter

1 tbsp instant coffee powder dissolved in 2 tbsp water

1 1/2 tsp glucose syrup

Melt all ingredients in a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

When mostly melted, stir until smooth.

Pour over cooled cake.

Optional: Shave dark chocolate over iced cake using a vegetable peeler.