These have been a family favorite since I was a little kid. Now, Boy and Girl LOVE to help make these and they are SO yummy. They have a wonderful, moist texture (because of the vinegar) and rich flavor (because of the coffee).
1/2 cup high quality unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. instant coffee
2 tsp. soda
2 cups water
2/3 cups oil (I use canola)
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla
24 chocolate candy “kisses”, unwrapped
24 aluminum foil muffin tin liners
NOTE: You don’t HAVE to use foil liners, but I think they’re fun, because the foil makes the cupcakes look like foil-wrapped kiss candies. I think that they also (unlike the paper ones) make the cupcakes less likely to burn on the bottom.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a foil liner in each of 24 muffin cups. Mix all dry ingredients together until uniformly blended. In a batter bowl or small pitcher, stir together liquid ingredients. Pour liquid into dry ingredients, stirring until smooth.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin cup. Place a chocolate candy into batter in each cup, point end down. Pour remaining batter over candies to completely cover them. Bake at 350 degrees for about 22 minutes, or until top is slightly “springy” to the touch.
These are VERY good, just as they are, but you may frost them if you’d like. I never have, but I think vanilla frosting would be better on these than chocolate, and go easy, because these are already VERY rich.