Mini Chili Chocolate Cupcakes with Chili Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Courtesy of Cupcake Bakeshop, this is a new spin on a classic chocolate cupcake.

Cupcake Ingredients

4 ounces unsweetend chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup cocoa
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cake flower
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cupcake Instructions

Boil 1 1/4 cups water. Combine chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium sized bowl. Add boiling water, whisk until smooth. Set aside. Sift together flours, baking soda, chili powder, cayenne, and salt. Set aside. Beat butter until creamy. Add brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beat well between each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined. Add about a third of the flour mixture, beat briefly until combined. Add about half of the chocolate mixture, beat briefly until combined. Repeat, adding flour, chocolate, then flour, do not overbeat. Transfer batter into large pastry bag with a plain tip, pipe into mini-cupcake pans with mini-cupcake liners, about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Frosting Ingredients

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Frosting Instructions

Heat cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted and cream bubbles around saucepan edge. Place peppers and chopped chocolate in a medium sized bowl, pour heated cream and butter over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for about 30 seconds then start whisking it until smooth. Set aside mixture and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon, it should reach piping consistency within an hour or two. Place frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto cupcakes.