Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Whipped Ganache

Make the Ganache Chop the chocolate into small pieces about the size of a tip of a finger and place in a medium bowl. Be sure to use quality chocolate that tastes good enough to eat plain.

In a small sauce pan, heat the cream to boiling. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate in the bowl. Leave it to sit for a minute or two, then use a whisk to gently stir, not whip, the chocolate and cream into a smooth, well-blended, glossy mixture. As you stir, keep the whisk submerged so that you don't incorporate air into the mixture. Blend in the vanilla, then set the ganache in the fridge to cool for up to an hour while you bake the cupcakes.

Make the Cupcakes Preheat your oven to 375° F (190° C). Prepare muffin tins with paper liners.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the mixture, along with the buttermilk, to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Beat just until the batter is thick and smooth; do not over mix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners, filling a little more than half full. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven until set, approximately 14 to 15 minutes. Remove when a few crumbs still cling to a toothpick tester inserted into the middle of a cupcake; if the toothpick comes out perfectly clean, the cupcakes may be dry.

Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for several minutes before transferring to a rack. Cool completely before frosting with the ganache.

Whip the Ganache With the whisk attachment of an electric mixer, beat the cooled ganache as you would whipped cream. When it's light, creamy and just stiff enough to pipe or spread, it's ready to use. Avoid over beating as the whipped ganache will firm up quickly.

Immediately spread or pipe the ganache onto the cooled cupcakes. Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for two days, or for longer in the fridge or freezer.