New Year! New Post!? New cupcake recipe!

I know it's hard to believe I've finally made a new post. I have been so busy and so stressed out with everything that I haven't been myself, and haven't had time to blog. My schedule is significantly less busy this quarter, at least, and hopefully I will have more time and motivation to blog. We'll see. All of my blogging promises have come up empty thus far, so don't hold me to it.

A few months ago a dear friend, dare I say mentor, lent me a book called "A Homemade Life" by Molly Wizenberg. I have been slowly going through it like a large, delicious, intensely sweet truffle. Every little bite has been great and I have been taking my time savoring it. Each chapter talks a little about her life or her family and the end of every chapter has a recipe relating to the story. There have been many great recipes that I have been aching to try. This chocolate cupcake recipe was my first so far and I've made it three times this year already. The first time was for New Years Eve and they were quickly devoured. Then I made them again for a friend's birthday. And just recently I used the same recipe for my husband's birthday cake and made chocolate ganache and raspberry sauce as the topping. Decadent and amazing!
An easy must-try recipe. Instead of a sickeningly sweet butter frosting these cupcakes are topped with melted bittersweet chocolate that gently cracks in your mouth with each bite and then slowly melts with the rest of the chocolaty goodness.

Also, if there are left overs do not be offended; somehow these cupcakes are even better the second day!

2011's Bittersweet Cupcakes
'Gredients:
1 oz semisweet chocolate (chips or finely chopped)
1/2 c hot brewed coffee
1 c sugar
3/4 c + 1 tbspn whole wheat flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour if you're a ninny)
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tspn baking soda
1/4 tspn baking powder
1/4 tspn salt
1 large egg
1/4 c canola oil
1/2 c well stirred plain whole milk yogurt (not the fat free junk)
1/4 tspn vanilla extract

For cupcake topping: 8 oz bittersweet chocolate (chips or finely chopped)

For ganache topping on cake: 1/2 heavy cream, 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (chips or finely chopped)
For raspberry sauce: 1-2 c fresh raspberries, 1/3 c sugar, 2 tbspn lemon juice

Preheat oven to 300 F and line your muffin tin with little cupcake cups.
(If making a cake grease a 8-9" cake pan, place parchment paper in the bottom AND grease the parchment paper. You can also double the recipe to make a double layer cake.)

Pour the semisweet choc into a bowl with the hot coffee and let it melt, stirring occasionally.

In another bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients (sugar-salt).

In your mixer beat the egg on medium for about a minute until it is a bold solid yellow. Beat in oil, yogurt, and vanilla. Beat in melted choc mix until well combined. On low speed, beat in all of the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides and mix briefly until everything is combined.

Using a 1/4 c measure, spoon batter into the muffin tin (or pour all of it into the cake pan). Bake cupcakes for 20-25 min until a toothpick comes out clean when you poke their little muffin tummies. Let them cool completely before doing the topping. (For the cake, bake ~50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.)

Boil water in a small-medium saucepan (keep on a low boil or simmer). Place a glass or metal bowl on top of the saucepan (should fit somewhat inside the pan, but not touch the bottom) and melt the bittersweet chocolate in the bowl until its smooth and inviting. This method helps prevent burning. Pour a heaping spoonful (regular spoon, not soup spoon) on top of each cooled cupcake. Rotate the cupcake to roll the melted chocolate to a smooth cap over the top. Let the melted chocolate cool until it has a matte (dull, not shiny) finish. Enjoy!

For the cake topping:
Heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a saucepan until steaming NOT boiling. Pour hot cream into a bowl with bittersweet chocolate. Stir occasionally as it melts, shoe away tempted fingers. In a few minutes the choc will melt and only a little bit of cream will be left that can then be stirred vigorously into the chocolate to form a smooth ganache frosting.

While waiting for the choc to melt, put raspberries, sugar and lemon juice into a saucepan and stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble occasionally. The raspberries should be soft, moist, and an intense color. The juice will accumulate and thicken slightly. Careful not to let it burn! Remove from heat.

How you distribute the ganache and raspberry sauce is completely up to you and your guests. Have fun!
This is how I did it:
Pour most of the ganache topping near the middle of the cake. Use the back of a spoon to make an artistic design while spreading the ganache over the top of the cake. (The key is to avoid lifting the spoon until the very end!). Drizzle remaining ganache onto each plate in a zigzag. Place cut cake pieces onto the drizzle design and top with heaping spoonfuls of raspberry sauce.

Yum!!!