life is too short to skip dessert especially with a go to recipe or cooking magazines to help you prepare for a special occasion surprise your friends and family this valentine s day with this easy chocolate cake and cupcakes recipe perfect for birthdays picnics or whenever you fancy a sweet treat you are guaranteed to win their hearts valentine s chocolate cake and cupcakes recipe ingredients 3 extra large eggs1 cup 250ml oil1 cup 250 ml of hot water plus 2 teaspoons of coffee granules optional pans and equipment you will need 1 springform tube pan 23cm x 7cm or 2 x 20 22 cm cake pansor 12 cup muffin pan s for cupcakesspatula baking temperature and time oven 180 cadjust oven rack to the middle tube cake bake for 35 40 minutescupcakes bake for 15 20 mins at 190 c chocolate cake instructions adjust oven rack to the middle preheat oven to 180 cbutter pan s generously and line bases with baking paper or spray using a non stick cooking spray beat eggs and oil for 30 seconds on high speed until well blended add hot black coffee or hot water and beat until well blended add the contents of the packet and gently mix in by hand with a spatula mix only until combined scrape mixture into prepared pan s bake at 180 c the cake is ready when a thin bladed knife inserted into the center comes out clean or cake pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan cool the cake in a pan for 10 minutes turn out on a cooling rack do not ice it until the cake is completely cool chocolate cupcakes makes 18 24line a muffin pan with paper cups and fill two thirds with cake batter microwave instructions use a 22 cm x 8 cm funneled micro dish lined with absorbent kitchen paper cook on high for 5 minutes leave to stand for 5 minutes in the microwave finish cake with a final 4 minutes on high