Devil's Food Cupcakes

We made dinner for our neighbors, Marni and Mel, for her birthday.  Because they aren't big sweet eaters, we made cupcakes instead of a birthday cake.  Tim made devil's food cupcakes and we served them on individual little cupcake stands - very cute.  They were very good.

3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch - process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all - purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.   Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth.  In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2. Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium - low heat, stirring to combine.  Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl.  With an electric mixer on medium - low  speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three - quarters full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.  Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature , or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

4. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting.  Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and garnish with chocolate curls just before serving.

FROSTING:

1 pound good - quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup corn syrup

1. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.  Bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer over medium - high heat; pour mixture over chocolate.  Let stand, without stirring, until chocolate begins to melt.

2. Beginning near the center and working outward, stir melted chocolate into cream until mixture is combined and smooth ) do not overstir.

3. Refrigerate, stirring every 5 minutes, until frosting just barely begins to hold it's shape and is slightly lighter in color.  Use immediately ( ganache will continue to thicken after you stop stirring.)