The Best Chocolate Cupcakes on the Planet!

My mother-in-law gave me a new bundt pan for Christmas this year. I have never owned a bundt pan and was anxious to try it out. I looked up tons of recipes that would be perfect for it (and I'll get around to posting those soon) and this one came in at the top of my list to try.

I love me some chocolate and this cake has more than enough for even the biggest chocoholic. The original recipe is for a bundt pan and makes about 16 servings. Let me tell you, it is the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted. And that's saying something. However, at 16 servings (and it's really easy to cut yourself a bigger piece of cake than necessary) this cake was coming in at 18 points per serving!! That's half your daily points on a piece of cake! There's just no way I could justify that, even if it was chocolate cake that I would be willing to do unmentionable things for. So, in an effort to save myself from myself I made this into cupcakes. I don't think they would freeze well, but they really didn't last that long anyway. At least as cupcakes, they are in individual servings and I was able to get a lot more servings out of the recipe, bringing the points value way down.

So without further ado, the best chocolate cupcakes on the planet. Go make them right now!!

The Best Chocolate Cupcakes on the Planet

Adapted from Lick the Bowl Good

Ingredients
Cake
1 Cup Cocoa Powder
12 oz Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Boiling Water
2 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 1/4 teaspoons Salt
2 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter
2 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar, packed
5 Large Eggs
4 teaspoons Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Sour Cream

Ganache Frosting
6 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

Directions

1. Have all ingredients at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 325F.
3. Line muffin cups with paper liners or liberally grease with cooking spray.
4. In a heat proof bowl, combine cocoa powder with half the bag of chocolate chips (about 6 oz).
5. Pour the boiling water over the top of the chocolate and whisk until the mixture is smooth and blended.
6. Set the chocolate mixture aside.
7. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
8. Add the sugar and beat until well blended.
9. Increase the speed of the mixer and continue to cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy.
10. Add the eggs, one at a time.
11. Add the vanilla.
12. Reduce the speed to low and add in the dry ingredients.
13. Mix until no lumps remain.
14. Add the sour cream.
15. Slowly pour in the chocolate mixture.
16. Beat until no white streaks are visible, stopping to scrape down the sides occasionally.
17. Stop the mixer and with a spatula, gently fold in the remaining chocolate chips.
18. Pour the batter into the muffin cups.
19. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
20. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
21. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the ganache.
22. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the ganache ingredients.
23. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until the mixture is smooth.
24. Top the cooled cupcakes with ganache and then let them set. This takes about 15 minutes.

Yields: 36 Cupcakes