That Time I Cooked a Vegetable: Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

These cupcakes are the ultimate chocolate cupcakes. Not only because everyone LOVES chocolate cupcakes but also because they are filled with chocolate ganache.
I was being a little bit over eager with these and decided to buy actuall vanilla beans for the frosting instead of just using vanilla extract. It was well worth it.

the chocolate cupcake recipe has been adapted from one on Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients

Ganache Filling:

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/3 cup 18% cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Chocolate Cupcakes:

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/3 cup cocoa
¾ cup hot coffee
¾ cup all purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)
3-4 cups confectioners sugar, SIFTED
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 vanilla bean
2 tbs heavy cream (you can also use milk)

Ganache Filling: (I made the ganache while the chocolate mixture for the cupcakes was cooling in the fridge so it didn't have too long to sit and get hard)

Place-chocolate, cream, and confectioners’ sugar in medium -microwave-safe bowl. Heat
in microwave on high power until mixture is warm to touch, 20 to 30 seconds.
Whisk until smooth; transfer bowl to refrigerator and let stand until just
chilled, no longer than 30 minutes.

Chocolate Cupcakes:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard-sized muffin pan
with baking-cup liners.

Place chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl. Pour hot coffee over mixture and whisk until smooth. Set in refrigerator to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Whisk oil, eggs, vinegar, and vanilla into cooled chocolate-cocoa mixture until smooth. Add flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

Divide batter evenly among muffin pan cups.
Place one slightly rounded teaspoon ganache filling on top of each cupcake.

Bake until cupcakes are set and just firm to touch, 17 to 19 minutes.

Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before frosting, about 1 hour.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)
3-4 cups confectioners sugar, SIFTED
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 vanilla bean
2 tbs heavy cream (more for a thinner consistency)

Beat butter for a few minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed.
Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter.

Increase mixer speed to medium
Slice through one side of the vanilla bean so you can open it up and scrape the inside into the icing

(this picture turned out terribly but hopefully you get the gist)

add the salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.