Chocolate Cupcakes frosted with Chocolate Ganache
(Makes 24 cupcakes)

Nothing beats the delight of Chocolate Cupcakes, and frosting them with Chocolate Ganache makes them the perfect dessert. These little cakes are deep chocolate in flavor, and light in texture. They go well with a glass of milk, or coffee, and are delicious with ice cream. Watch the baking time, because they will dry out if they are over baked.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 cup hot water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1-3/4 cups cake flour
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, graded large, at room temperature
1-1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

Preheat a conventional oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit or a convection oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the wells of two 12-cupcake pans with paper liners. Set a rack so it is in the center of the oven.

Place the butter, cocoa, and water in a 1-quart saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir with a whisk until it thoroughly mixed, and remove it from the heat. Add the unsweetened chocolate, and stir until it is completely melted.

Measure the flour, sugars, soda, baking powder, and salt into a large mixing bowl, and stir with a large whisk to combine. Whisk the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk in a large measuring cup and add to the chocolate mixture, whisking to blend evenly. Stir the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients, whisking until evenly blended and smooth. Place a scant 1/4-cup of batter in each cupcake well. Bake one pan at a time on the center rack in the preheated oven 15-18 minutes. The cupcakes will be done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately flip it over on a wire rack to release the cupcakes. Turn them right side up and let them cool on the rack. Let them cool completely before frosting or freezing.

Chocolate Ganache

Makes about two cups.

Chocolate Ganache is the simplest concoction to use for chocolate frosting, and the tastiest, in my opinion. You must make it with a top quality chocolate, because it’s the flavor of the chocolate that makes Chocolate Ganache so superb. Do not use peppermint extract in this recipe, because it is too harsh. You can find peppermint oil or pure peppermint flavoring in better groceries, Whole Foods Markets, and on the internet. Use it very sparingly – it is quite strong.

1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces excellent quality dark chocolate, chopped into small bits

Scald the milk in a saucepan over medium heat, or microwave it in a large microwave-safe measuring cup on high for 3 minutes. Remove the pan or cup from the heat. Add the chopped chocolate to the cream, and stir gently with a wire whisk until the mixture is completely smooth. The smaller the chocolate was chopped, the quicker this will be done.

Use the ganache warm to coat the tops of cupcakes or other desserts, or let it cool, whisking gently every 10 minutes or so, until it is of a spreadable consistency for frosting or piping onto cakes, cupcakes, or other desserts.

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