12/ Chocolate Cake / Cupcakes

Stir together and let sit until chocolate is melted:

• 1 c. hot water or hot coffee
• 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken into small pieces

Sift into a medium bowl:

• 1⅔ c. flour
• 2 c. sugar
• 1 c. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt

Whisk together in large bowl:

• 2 eggs
• ½ c. canola oil
• 1 c. buttermilk
• ½ tsp. vanilla

Alternate whisking in the dry ingredients and the melted chocolate mixture. 

Scoop batter half-full into 24-30 lined muffin tins (or 2 9" cake pans). Bake at 300 ° until toothpick inserted comes out with crumbs attached, about 20 minutes.  

For a chocolate ganache, bring to a boil in small sauce pan:

• ½ c. heavy cream
• 1 tbl. sugar
• 1 tbl. corn syrup

Remove from heat and whisk in until smooth: 

• ½ lb. semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 tbl. butter (add butter after all chocolate whisked in)