Valentines Special- Celebrate Love With Chocolate Sweetheart Cupcakes

Because nothing says "I love you" like a chocolate cupcake topped with creamy ganache.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. heavy cream
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 oz. white chocolate

Method

* Heat oven to 350ºF. Line 12 regular-size (2 1⁄2-in. diam) muffin cups with paper liners.

* Beat butter, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl with mixer on low speed 1 minute or until well blended. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes or until fluffy. Beat in milk and vanilla (batter may look curdled), then flour just until blended.

* Spoon scant 1⁄4 cup batter into each muffin cup, filling each about 2⁄3 full.

* Bake 20 to 25 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in centers of cupcakes comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes before removing from pan to rack.

* Repeat steps 3 and 4 with remaining batter. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting and decorating.Each recipe makes 24 cupcakes. If you have two 12-cup muffin pans, you can bake them side by side on the middle rack of your oven if space permits.

* Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored covered at room temperature up to a day, or frozen in an airtight container up to a month. Thaw before frosting. Once frosted and chilled, they can be refrigerated, very loosely covered, up to 2 days.

* For the ganache: Gently heat 3/4 cup heavy cream over medium heat, then pour over 8 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute; stir until melted and smooth. Evenly spoon ganache on top of 12 large or 24 small chocolate cupcakes. Let set for 30 minutes.

* For the lettering: Microwave 3 ounces white chocolate on 50% power in 20-second intervals until melted and smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5 tip, then get creative!