Black and White Cupcakes

makes 24 cupcakes

2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

1 recipe chocolate ganache

1 recipe vanilla bean cream cheese frosting

dragées or sprinkles (for decorating)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare muffin pans with liners. Set aside.

Place 1 cup of water with coffee granules in microwave and bring to boiling. (1 minute at a time).

In a large bowl whisk together; sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt, until well combined. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; whisk again until well mixed. Stir in boiling coffee (batter will be thin). Whisk well until you have a smooth batter. Pour batter muffin pans.

Bake 20-22 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Prepare frosting an ganache as cupcakes are baking and cooling. Once completely cooled, spread a spoonful of completely cooled ganache over cupcake tops. Set aside.

Fill a gallon resealable bag with vanilla bean cream cheese frosting. Cut a tiny piece off the corner. Use the bag like a piping bag, starting on the outside, swirl around the cupcake an mound in the middle.

Warm remaining ganache and drizzle over cupcakes. Decorate with small dragées or sprinkles.

Serve and enjoy!

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2 vanilla beans, seeds removed

2 cups powdered sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

In a large bowl using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla bean seeds until smooth and thoroughly blended. Slowly add the powdered sugar and salt. Mix until smooth. Refrigerate briefly to allow frosting to firm up if necessary.

Chocolate Ganache

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream

Combine chocolate chips and cream in a heat proof bowl and microwave at 30 second increments stirring in between. Continue to heat and stir until you have a smooth mixture. Set aside and allow to cool.

Recipe printed from http://TheSlowRoastedItalian.com/