Dark chocolate cupcakes with whipped whiskey ganache

This week’s recipe comes from a feature I put together for Cheers Magazine last month in which whiskey and sherry were the heroes. I have to be honest and say that sipping spirits has never been my thing, I am more of a wine gal myself! But I do keep a small stash of tipple tucked away for culinary purposes. A splash of brandy here, a dash of sherry there… they certainly add a deep richness to the dishes they are added to. These easy dark chocolate cupcakes are proof that whiskey is not only good for sipping but also has its place in the kitchen (and that cupcakes aren’t just for the kiddies!).

I decided to put together a simple dark chocolate cupcake recipe and top it with a chocolate whiskey ganache. Gorgeous and very grown up eh? I was in two minds about how to make the ganache which can either be lightly whipped or left dark and glossy. Both versions work well so please check out the cook’s notes below before you start!

Do keep an eye out for my sherry recipe next week – it’s a goodie! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these decadent whiskey ganache cupcakes.

Cook’s notes: There are two ways to prepare the chocolate ganache –

for a darker, more glossy chocolate ganache glaze simply skip the whipping step at the end and dipped the tops of the cupcakes into the cooled ganache.
Or whip the chocolate ganache for a lighter, fluffier topping – the choice is yours!

DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH WHISKEY GANACHE

Servings: 12
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For the cupcakes:

12 cupcake cases
1 cup castor sugar
350ml flour
½ cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup sunflower oil
¾ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g dark chocolate, melted

For the whiskey ganache:

100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
½ cup single cream
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp whisky
chocolate curls / grated chocolate for decorating

1.) Preheat your oven to 170°C and place the cupcake cases in a muffin tray.

2.) Sift the castor sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl.

3.) Add the eggs, sunflower oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined. Stir in the melted chocolate.

4.) Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

5.) To make the ganache: chop the dark chocolate into small pieces and place in a small heatproof bowl. Heat the cream and butter over a medium heat until the butter has melted and the cream is just starting to bubble.

6.) Take the cream off the heat and pour over the chocolate pieces. Leave to stand for a minute, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the whiskey.

7.) Leave the ganache to cool to room temperature. Whisk the ganache with an electric beater for a minute. Spread the ganache over the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with chocolate curls / grated chocolate.