Moist pumpkin chocolate cupcakes, made from scratch, with a touch of ginger for additional fall flavor. Topped with whipped chocolate ganache frosting.
Make the chocolate ganache and place it into a covered bowl in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes while you bake and cool your cupcakes, stirring gently every 15-20 minutes. After the ganache has thickened to the consistency of a thick fudge sauce and you are ready to frost your cupcakes, remove it from the refrigerator and transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whip attachment, beat the ganache on high speed for 5 minutes, or until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable. If you need to thicken it up, you can add powdered sugar, but be careful, as it will become sweeter. To thicken without additional sweetener, refrigerate the ganache again until it becomes firmer and repeat steps above.
For Cupcakes:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners, then spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
In a small mixing bowl, use a sifter to combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ginger.
Add the butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer or larger mixing bowl. Use the paddle attachment of an electric stand mixer, or an electric hand mixer, to beat the ingredients until fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, combining the first one in before adding the second. Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree and mix to combine.
Next, add the sour cream and melted chocolate and mix them in by hand with a mixing spatula .
Slowly add half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients Mix on low speed until no flour remains. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then repeat with the other half of the flour, mixing on low speed, just until it's incorporated. If you over mix the batter, your cupcakes will be very dry.
Use a 2-ounce scoop or spoon to fill each well 7/8 full with batter. Gently place the pan into the heated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out dry, or with just a few moist crumbs on it.
Remove pan of cupcakes from the oven and place it onto a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting them.
To Decorate:
Place the whipped ganache frosting into a 14-inch or larger piping bag, fitted with a large coupler and 1M or 2D Wilton tip.
Frost and garnish as desired.
The cupcakes will stay good for 3 days if well covered at room temperature, or up to 6 days if they're kept refrigerated.