Ingredients: 

For the Cupcakes:

6 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped or broken into small squares
2/3 cup canola oil
2 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup sour cream
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups hot, brewed coffee

For the ganache:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
5 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate
2 teaspoons spiced rum (optional)

Directions:
1. Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place cupcake liners in two cupcake molds (I used ones that hold 16 cupcakes).

2. Make the hot coffee. I used an Aero press, added two scoops of espresso, and poured 1 1/3 cups hot water into it.

3. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a pot with a metal mixing bowl over simmering water. When the chocolate is completely melted, whisk in the canola oil until smooth. Remove from the heat.

4. Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and eggs until smooth and well mixed.

6. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until fully combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the melted chocolate mixture and mix well.

7. Add the hot coffee in a stream, and mix until combined. The batter will be loose.

8. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners until 3/4 filled.

9. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.

10. Allow to cool before making the ganache.

11. In a double boiler, heat the whipping cream until it begins to simmer.

12. Add the chocolate and rum and whisk until most of the chocolate has melted.

13. Remove from heat and continue to whisk until all the chocolate has melted and it is a smooth and glossy.

14. Take the cupcake, dip it into the ganache and top with a raspberry.

I learned the hard way how not to make ganache. I had kept whisking the ganache even after all the chocolate melted and that was when the fats in the whipping cream and chocolate began to separate and it was no longer smooth and glossy. So the second time i made it, I had an ice bath waiting in case i needed to put the bowl that held the ganache in the ice bath and continue to mix. I also found halfway through dipping my cupcakes into the ganache, it solidified, so I put the bowl over the double boiler and the ganache quickly melted to allow me to finish the rest of my cupcakes.

The recipe for the cupcakes was originally for a cake. If you wish to make Devil’s Food Cake I would butter and flour two 9 x 2 round cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.

I topped mine with a single raspberry but I would even do chocolate nibs for a crunchy, chocolatey texture or sprinkles.