Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1. Start by making the ganache. Measure out the chocolate chips into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
2. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat when you see steam rising from the surface. 
3. Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes. 
4. Whisk the two ingredients together until it’s silky smooth. Place the ganache into the fridge to reach the perfect frosting constancy (about 30-45 minutes). Give it a good stir every so often so that it chills evenly.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cupcake tray with 12 liners. 
2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Combine the milk and vinegar in a measuring glass and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars and oil. It should look like wet sand. 
5. Whisk in the melted chocolate. Once combined, whisk in the eggs and vanilla. 
6. Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then the milk mixture, then the rest of the dry ingredients. You should be left with a smooth batter that isn’t too thin or too thick.
7. Evenly distribute the batter between the cupcake liners.
8. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. 
9. After about 5 minutes, transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
10. At this point, the ganache should be thick enough to hold its shape but easy to mix (see picture above). If it’s not there yet, keep it in the fridge until then.
11. To frost, use a piping bag with a large closed star tip. Make sure the cupcakes are completely cooled before doing so.
12. Using a peeler and a Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Baking Bar, shave some chocolate curls on top for extra decoration. Enjoy!