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1
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
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2
If youre making cupcakes, line the wells of your pans with fluted paper liners, or grease and dust them with flour or cocoa.
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3
If youre making larger cakes, grease pans and line bottoms with rounds of wax paper.
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4
Grease paper.
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5
Finely chop chocolate and in a bowl combine with hot coffee.
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6
Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
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7
Into a large bowl sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
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8
In another (very) large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until thickened slightly and lemon-colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).
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9
Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well.
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10
Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.
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11
Divide batter between pans.
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12
Bake in middle of oven 20 to 25 minutes for cupcakes, or 50 to 70 minutes for larger cakes, until a tester inserted in center comes out clean.
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13
Cool cakes completely in pans on racks.
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14
Run a thin knife around edges of pans and remove cupcakes, or invert larger cakes onto racks.
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15
If making larger cakes, carefully remove wax paper.
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16
Cakes may be made one day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
