Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Ganache
Chocolate lovers rejoice! My one-bowl chocolate cake recipe has a new friend – this velvety mocha ganache. It may not seem like a ton of ganache for 12 cupcakes, but don’t fret. Because the topping is so rich, each cupcake just needs a small rosette.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Mocha Ganache
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes:
- ⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoons cup high-quality cocoa powder
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
- ½ cup freshly brewed coffee
For the mocha ganache:
- 6 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, 58%, rough chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso
- Pinch of kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cavity cupcake pan with aluminum liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix the cocoa powder, sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined.
- In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk the eggs, oil, vanilla and whole milk until emulsified.
- With the mixer on medium-low, slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the dry ingredients to form a thick batter, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the hot coffee in three additions, waiting until each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixer bowl to ensure all ingredients are well combined. The batter will be relatively thin.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pan, filling each liner about ⅔ of the way full.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, for 18 to 22 minutes.
- Using a small offset, carefully transfer the hot cupcakes to a cooling rack; cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the mocha ganache. Place the chocolate into a 4-cup heat-resistant liquid measuring cup; set aside.
- In a small saucepan, warm the heavy cream, corn syrup, instant espresso powder and salt, whisking gently to combine, over medium heat until it begins to simmer along the edges and swell slightly. Keep an eye on the cream to make sure it does not boil over.
- Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate, making sure all of the chocolate is submerged, and let sit, undisturbed, for 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract, then, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth; let sit at room temperature until completely cool and thickened, at least 1 hour. If the ganache is still too soft, you can put it in the refrigerator in 5 minute intervals, stirring in between until a piping consistency is reached.
- Using a rubber spatula, transfer the ganache to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe a small rosette onto each cupcake.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
