Ingredients

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cake flour

1/4 tbsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1/4 tbsp. vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 oz dark chocolate, chopped

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake liners. Set aside.

  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside. Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in the vanilla bean paste. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until light and creamy in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for one more minute.

  3. Add the sugar to the butter mixture. Mix in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Combine the buttermilk and the vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.

  4. Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

  1. Heat heavy cream in a small pot. Be careful to not let it boil over. Once it begins to boil, remove from the stove.

  2. Pour heavy cream into bowl of chopped chocolate. Stir and mix until chocolate is completely melted.

  3. Place bowl of chocolate ganache into fridge for a few hours (2-3), until the ganache becomes stable enough for piping.