mini chocolate cupcakes with milk chocolate ganache frosting

cupcake ingredients:

3 oz. chocolate bar, chopped

1/3 c. cocoa powder

3/4 c. water, hot

3/4 c. all purpose flour

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

6 tbsp. vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

cupcake method:

preheat the oven to the magic 350 degrees. for this recipe, you could use a 12-cup muffin tin or a 24-cup muffin tin. spray with cooking spray or line with cupcake liners or do both. i would have used liners had i had mini ones. these cupcakes are really soft and tender and the liners help with lifting and moving them.

place the chocolate and the cocoa powder in a bowl and pour the hot water over. let sit for 5 minutes and then whisk until smooth. place it in the fridge to cool down.

i used bittersweet chocolate here, but i'm sure that milk or dark would have worked.

in the meantime, i got all of my other ingredients out and prepped my muffin tin.

add the oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla to the chocolate mixture. whisk until combined.

add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda to the rest. whisk until smooth.

use a tablespoon or 1/4 cup to measure the batter into each tin for equal-sized cupcakes.

bake for 17-19 minutes.

icing ingredients:

3 oz. chocolate bar, chopped

1/4 c. heavy cream

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. icing sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

icing method:

first, we need to make ganache. melt the chocolate with the cream in the microwave, no longer than 30 seconds. whisk until smooth and let sit until room temperature.

i used milk chocolate for the ganache and it was delicious! the creaminess was intensified in the buttercream.

then, we need to make the buttercream. beat the butter until light and fluffy. add the icing sugar and combine. lastly, add in the ganache and the vanilla extract.