German Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and place oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with 16 liners total.

2. 2

   Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. 3

   Place the chopped German chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot coffee over the top. Let it sit for a few minutes, then whisk until all of the chocolate is melted. Set aside.

4. 4

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld electric mixer), beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

5. 5

   Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

6. 6

   Beat in the vanilla extract, then add the melted chocolate and coffee mixture and beat until incorporated.

7. 7

   In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and sour cream.

8. 8

   On low speed, add a third of the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Add half of the sour cream mixture and beat just until combined. Continue alternating with another third of the flour, the rest of the sour cream mixture, and finally the remaining flour.

9. 9

   Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

10. 10

    For the frosting, combine the brown sugar, evaporated milk, egg yolks, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to boil and thicken.

11. 11

    Remove the frosting from the heat and stir in the coconut, pecans, and vanilla extract. Let cool until spreadable, about 30 to 60 minutes.

12. 12

    For the ganache, place the chopped semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.

13. 13

    Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until it begins to bubble; do not let it boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few minutes, then whisk until smooth with no lumps. Whisk in the bourbon, if using.

14. 14

    Use an apple corer to remove the center of each cooled cupcake, being careful not to cut all the way through to the bottom. Trim the removed centers, keeping a ½-inch thick piece from the top of each.

15. 15

    Fill each cored cupcake with a big spoonful of ganache and cap it with the reserved piece of cake.

16. 16

    Cover the tops generously with the coconut pecan frosting, drizzle with more ganache, and top each cupcake with a candied pecan.