Funfetti Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache

My little (but very grown up) sister's birthday was last week and every year, she asks for the same cake: funfetti. She loves this timeless combination of white cake and sprinkles so much, that she's only half-jokingly said that it will probably be her wedding cake one day. My mom is horrified at this idea but I think it's splendid.

In honor of her funfetti obsession, I pulled two recipes out of storage that I have been dying to try, by Molly Yeh. The first, is a two layer funfetti cake, which she thoroughly tested and re-tested until she had the perfect, from scratch white cake mix with an excellent sprinkle to crumb ratio. The second, is a scrumptious chocolate ganache from another recipe, poured over a pistachio cream cake. 

I loved both of these ideas and wanted a more portable dessert option for my sibling, who would no doubt encounter way too many cakes over the week. So I opted for the cake recipe, poured into cupcake tins and topped with the chocolate ganache.

My sister says that the result combines the "tastes of a 4 year old with a grown up, sophisticated frosting." So thank you Molly for all of your test runs that made possible a funfetti creation that even the most reserved person can eat without losing face!

To make the cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set out 3, 12 cup tins, lined with paper cups.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until combined and fluffy. Add the eggs whites, one at a time, combining each one into the batter. Then, add the vanilla and oil.

In a separate, smaller mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Add this to the butter and sugar mixture in three parts, interspersed with the whole milk. 

Fold in 1c of the sprinkles.

Using a soup spoon or 1/3 c measure, pour the batter into the cupcake tins, stopping after each tin to wipe up any spilled batter. 

Once the batter is evenly dispersed in the cupcake tins, sprinkle 1/2 c of the remaining sprinkles on top of the batter in each cup (this is important, read here for Molly Yeh's test results on how to perfect the sprinkle presentation). Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Let cool completely. *Now is a good time to make the frosting!

To make the chocolate ganache:

Prepare the chocolate and set aside in a heat proof bowl.

Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the cream starts to bubble around the edges, remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Stir constantly until the cream and chocolate have melted into a thick, smooth mixture. Spoon 1/2 tbsp onto each cupcake, going back to fill in the tops with the leftover ganache as needed. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 c of sprinkles over the frosting and let sit for 2 hours or overnight if you can as the frosting will harden.

Ingredients:

Filling:

- Butter, unsalted - 1 c, room temperature

- Sugar, granulated - 1 1/2 c

- Large egg whites - 4

- Imitation vanilla (McCormick's is suggested) - 2 tbsp

- Vegetable oil - 6 tbsp

- Cake flour - 2 1/2

- Baking powder - 2 1/4 tsp

- Salt - 3/4 tsp

- Whole milk - 1 c

- Sprinkles - 2 c (the original recipe calls for less but I am a gratuitous sprinkle user)

Frosting:

- Semisweet chocolate - 8 oz, chopped

- Heavy cream - 1/2 c

350 degrees Fahrenheit

Bake for 25 minutes

Makes 30 cupcakes