Chocolate ganache cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray and line 2 8” pans OR 3 6” pans.
2. In a bowl, sift together chocolate cake mix, cocoa, pudding mix, and pinch salt. Whisk together and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk up sour cream, eggs, yolk, vanilla, and oil.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and then pour in the coffee.
5. Whisk together until a smooth batter forms.
6. Divide between cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out mostly clean.
7. Cool cakes, flip onto parchment, and wrap with cling film.
8. Once fully room temp, freeze for 3-4 hours for easy assembly

Ganache (fill and dip)

1. In a bowl, combine dark chocolate and salt.
2. Heat cream until it simmers and pour over the dark chocolate.
3. Whisk together, let stand for 10 minutes and dip. 
4. This recipe works well if you’re filling your cupcakes with a thick filling.

Ganache (pipe)

1. In a bowl, combine dark chocolate and salt.
2. Heat cream until it simmers and pour over the dark chocolate.
3. Pour into a container and let stand until pipeable.
4. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe.
5. This is a very rich topping, so keep it simple and do not add a filling to your cupcakes. 

Frosting 

1. In the bowl of your mixer, combine butter and a pinch of salt.
2. Fit mixer with paddle attachment and starting on the lowest speed, slowly start creaming the two together. You can work your way up to medium/high speed.
3. Once the two have combine throughly and lightened up, turn speed back down to low and slowly start adding the powdered sugar. Do this with a large spoon. Let the sugar mix very gently with the butter mixture before adding another spoonful. Add the cocoa and espresso powder.
4. When all the sugar and cocoa have been added and incorporated, add vanilla and turn mixer on medium/high and whip buttercream until it becomes fluffy.
5. Last, pour in the dark chocolate and give the frosting one final mix.
6. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes. 

*This is a sweeter frosting so you can add a chocolate ganache filling here if you like. Filling is optional.

Whip 

1. In a bowl, smooth out your cream cheese and sugar with a paddle attachment. Scrape bowl in between mixing. 
2. Once smooth, add heavy cream and vanilla. Switch to whisk attachment and whip on medium until whip forms. While whip is at medium peaks, add the chocolate ganache.
3. Whip until thick and lush. This is very light frosting, you should definitely add some type of filling here.