Chocolate Cupcakes with Chambord Ganache

Sometimes, recipes just don't work out. Thursday was one of those days. I used a recipe for a chocolate cupcake that never cooked right and got all tacky and gross. I also realized that it's the second time I used the same recipe and the same thing happened the first time. I also used up the rest of my cocoa powder. Thursday was just not my day.


I used a different recipe on Friday that worked out just fine. Before I began baking however, I discovered that my cup of Chambord that I hijacked/paid for at the bar was missing. Turns out keeping alcohol in a disposable coffee cup might end up with your mom thinking you left coffee on the counter and throwing it away. This recipe just seemed doomed from the start.


When all was said and done, I ended up with some pretty yummy cupcakes, but definitely not enough Chambord flavor in the ganache.


Chocolate Cupcakes with Chambord Ganache
cupcakes from Annie's Eats
ganache from Cooking with LT


For the cake:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs

For the ganache:
18 ounces semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped pieces or chips 

1 ½ cups heavy cream
 
4 tablespoons Chambord


1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease or prep 2 standard cupcake pans.
2.To make the cake batter, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; whisk together and set aside.  In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the sour cream, milk and vanilla extract.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.  With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Mix just until incorporated.
3.Divide batter evenly  Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat, until is JUST comes to a boil. 
5. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir or whisk until incorporated. Let cool for 15 minutes before adding Chambord.
6. Allow ganache to sit at room temp for at least 2 hours to thicken and cool, or you can put in the refrigerator for 1 hour. If refrigerating, be sure to stir every 10 minutes to avoid lumps.
7. Once ganache is thickened and cooled, frost your cupcakes.