Hello, I'm Ang and I blog over at Juggling Act Mama. I love sharing my adventures in cooking, crafting - and cuddling! I'm married to my high school sweetheart and we both work full time outside the home. We have two children, Ethan, who is almost 5, and Olivia, who will be 2 next month.
On my blog, I share easy and kid-friendly recipes, crafts and DIY projects, as well as fun activities for the kiddos. I hope you'll come visit me to check out some of my favorite posts - here are a few:
And while you're there, don't forget to enter my latest giveaways!
Today, I'm honored to be here at Wonderfully Chaotic to share with you a very special treat - Chocolate Cupcakes with a Chocolate Ganache Glaze.
Oh my. I adore them.
These cupcakes are the very epitome of chocolate decadence. The cake is moist and chocolatey, but the thick ganache really puts these cupcakes over the top. Trust me when I say you must experience these cupcakes. The cupcake recipe is adapted from Food Network Magazine's Basic Chocolate Cake Recipe, from the January issue, and honestly, it's rather plain - there's nothing overly extraordinary about the cake itself, but paired with the ganche.... well, that's another story...
Let's get started! Here's what you'll need:
Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 boiling water
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
(recipe follows)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees and line your muffin tin with liners (I'm not a fan of greasing each individual muffin cup - who has the time?)
Whisk the cocoa powder and 1-1/2 cups boiling water in a medium bowl until smooth and then set it aside.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until combined.
You know, 'cause that's what the professionals do...
Now add the eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Beat in the cocoa mixture in a steady stream until just combined, then finish mixing with a rubber spatula. (The batter will be thin, but don't worry - it turns out the most delicious cake!)
Fill the cupcake liners about 85% full, and bake for about 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cupcakes rest 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. The cupcakes must be completely cool before you add the ganache frosting.
Trust me on this one.
Now for the ganache... the very word is decadent, isn't it? This is a simple ganache, but if you want to get fancy, you can change the flavor by substituting the vanilla extract for another extract flavor, like orange or mint, a raspberry liqueur, or even some rum.
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
Ingredients:
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits
1/4 cup milk chocolate bits
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk together the chocolate and cream until the mixture is smooth and thick - about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it stand about 5 minutes.
Remove the cupcake liners and carefully dip the tops of your cupcakes in the ganache, turning slowly to coat. Put the cupcakes into the refrigerator about 20-30 minutes until the ganache cools and hardens a bit before serving. Store any leftovers (haha!) in the fridge.
I hope you will give these cupcakes a try, and that you'll come visit me, too!
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