Mocha Truffle Cupcakes

So today I was in the mood for something chocolate (surprise, surprise!) And you can't have chocolate without coffee, so I thought.."Hmmm..I wonder if I could create a coffee and chocolate cupcake" and here's what I came up with! I highly recommend them if you are a coffee lover like me. They taste a little like tiramisu..and there is a sweet surprise in the middle :o) Enjoy!

Mocha Truffle Cupcakes

For the chocolate cupcakes:

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

¾ cup cocoa

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

½ cup oil

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup boiling water

1.) Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl combine eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Pour into flour mixture and beat at medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add boiling water and beat until combined. Note: Mixture will be runny!

2.) Evenly pour batter into 24 cupcake liners

3.) Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

For Ganache:

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp butter

1 ½ cup chocolate chips

1.) In small sauce pan, heat heavy cream and butter on medium heat. Stir constantly. When small bubbles appear turn off heat and add chocolate chips. Let sit for about 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. Let cool.

For Icing:

1 large container cool whip, thawed

1 tsp vanilla

4 tsp. instant coffee

1.) Dissolve coffee into vanilla. This will make a paste.

2.) Gently fold in vanilla coffee paste.

To assemble- Pour ganache into an old fashioned ketchup container and squeeze an even amount into each cupcake. Top with icing. If you want to decorate them, dust with cocoa and top with a coffee bean.