Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

I woke up this morning with a hankering for chocolate cake.  Heck with the laundry, dirty house and stack of dishes... when you're up half the night with a feverish kid, you deserve some darn chocolate!  Period.  Exclamation point!  After lasts weeks failed attempt at a divine gluten free chocolate cake (UM... that one didn't make it to the posting stage, although it would have passed for a big, fat DRY flop) I was bound and determined to find a post-worthy recipe to use up my gluten free all-purpose flour.  A lot of recipes call for blending several gluten free flours, but my pantry only consists of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour (which I don't recommend because of the wonky flavor!  I think it has to much fava bean flour or something!) and rice flour.  This recipe fit the bill.  If you have a gluten free all purpose flour blend you love, then use it!  I mixed half Bob's and half rice and it turned out pretty good.  I'll be glad when my bag of Bob's is empty and in the trash (won't buy that brand again).  These cupcakes are pretty tasty.  They're a little on the dense side, but very edible.  I used Splenda instead of sugar and I'm notorious for leaving it in the oven a little to long (Splenda requires a shorter baking time).  I drizzled them with caramel and chocolate shavings, but they would be yummy with frosting or ganache.  Enjoy :)

GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
1 cup brewed hot coffee
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup hot water
3 cups gluten-free All-Pupose flour blend
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
2½ cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 ounces chopped chocolate (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8- or 9-inch round cake pans and dust with gluten-free flour.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together coffee and cocoa powder. Add hot water and whisk until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl or on a piece of waxed paper, sift together the flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat margarine and sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower mixer speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and cream well, scraping down the bowl.

5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet batter, mixing until combined. Add half the cocoa mixture, mixing until combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and cocoa mixture and mix on medium speed until smooth, approximately 2 minutes.  Stir in chopped chocolate.

6. Spoon batter equally into lined muffin tins. Place in preheated oven and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until done. The cake is done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake in pans for 20 minutes.

Makes 24 cupcakes