Whiskey and Coke Cupcakes

Whiskey and Coke Cupcakes

1 cup cola
2 sticks unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
at room temperature
2/3 cup sour cream at room temperature

Ganache Filling

8 ½ ounces semi or bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons whiskey

Whiskey buttercream frosting

6 cups confections sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
6 tbsp Jack Daniels, or other whiskey

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. 

Bring 1 cup cola and 2 sticks butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. 

Allow to cool for at least fifteen minutes.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in large bowl to blend. 

Using electric mixer, whisk eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. 

Add the sugar and whisk to combine.  

With the mixer on, pour in the cola-chocolate mixture and beat just to combine. 

Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. 

Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.

Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. 

Be really careful about not overfilling them – this cake rises and will spill over.  

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. 

Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. 

Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate.  Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth.  

Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined.
Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped.

Meanwhile, using a 1-inch round cookie cutter, an apple corer, or a paring knife, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes.
Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Frosting Method
Whisk the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. 

Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.  It does make a difference.  The frosting will be less grainy, and require less sugar to thicken them up.

When the frosting looks thick enough to spread, drizzle in the whiskey and whip it until combined. If this has made the frosting too thin, beat in another spoonful or two of powdered sugar.  Don’t worry about trying to use all 6 cups, just use your intuition and stop when it seems thick enough.

Ice and decorate the cupcakes.