Iron Cupcake Virgin! =P

I just did my first Iron Cupcake challenge and it was so exciting!!! When I signed up for this it was right after the chili pepper contest, so I waited anxiously for the announcement of this month's special ingredient. BASIL!! (More info here)

I looked around for days for inspiration until I came across a recipe for a chocolate torte that looked delicious! With a little bit of alteration, my Flourless Chocolate-Basil Cupcake was born. I jazzed it up with a chocolate ganache and then added chocolate buttercream frosting to make this amazing cupcake =)

Flourless Chocolate-Basil Cupcake with
Chocolate Ganache and Chocolate Buttercrean Frosting

for Cupcakes:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 packed cup fresh basil (leaves only)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and center a rack in your oven. Line a regular muffin tin (12 muffins) with cupcake liners. Melt the butter and the chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Remove as soon as mixture is smooth. Pour into large mixing bowl. Stir in vanilla and salt to combine.

Make a basil-sugar: pulse sugar and basil together in a food processor until the basil is very finely chopped and uniformly green in color (it will look moist).

Add basil-sugar to chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Sift cocoa powder over mixture and combine completely (you want no lumps). Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until tops are just a little cracked. Let cool for 5 minutes, then transfer onto cooling rack.

for Rich Chocolatey Ganache:
4 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Melt chocolate and cream in a small saucepan on very low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Using a spoon, drizzle the ganache over each cupcake or let it drip down the sides.

for Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/8 cup milk

Beat butter on high for 30 seconds. Add cocoa and 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar, beat until combined. Add the rest of the sugar and milk, beat until combined. I put this into our pastry press and swirled frosting onto each cupcake, but you could just spread it on with a knife too.

This was so much fun and I look forward to doing it again next month! We're competing for some really neat prizes from:

ETSY artist METAL SUGAR

and our lovely sponsors:

HEAD CHEFS
HELLO CUPCAKE
JESSIE STEELE APRONS
CUPCAKE COURIER
TASTE OF HOME

Voting begins Sunday the 28th at noon, at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER! So vote for me pretty pretty please (with basil on top)!

Happy Baking! ♥