Black Beauty Cupcakes

Pre-heat oven to 350 F (175 C). Butter the insides of a 12-cup muffin pan. Combine 2 Tbsps. cocoa with 2 Tbsps. flour, then dust the insides of the molds with the cocoa-flour mixture. Shake off the excess.

In a small mixing bowl, combine ½ cup cocoa with 1 cup hot water, then add 2 Tbsps. dark chocolate chip pieces. Stir until the chocolate melts. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Using an electric mixer, gradually add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture, then mix in the mayonnaise (the batter will seem a little thinner than usual).

Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until a cake tester inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pan, then gently remove each one onto a plate.

To make the ganache icing, heat the thickened cream on the stove top over medium heat. Add the semi-sweet chocolate pieces and stir until melted. Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the butter until completely melted. Let cool for a few minutes, then place in the fridge until the mixture thickens- about 1 hour. To be ready for piping, the ganache should be a little thicker than the consistency of pudding but not hard like butter.

Place ganache into a piping bag fitted with an ‘open-star’ nozzle and pipe spirals around the top of each cupcake. Cupcakes can be served chilled or room temperature. Store in the fridge.