Chocolate Red Wine Cupakes

Cook Time 21

Servings 24

Preheat oven to 350° and line cupcake tin with liners.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Add ½ of the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and stir to combine.
Stir the buttermilk into the sugar mixture then add the remaining half of the flour mixture.
Stir in the red wine.
Fill cupcake liners ~¾ of the way full. Bake for 21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes sit in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack.
If using the chocolate ganache, cut a small core from the middle of the cupcake. Do this once the cupcake has cooled.

Place chopped chocolate in a medium-sized bowl.
In a microwaveable bowl, combine red wine and whipping cream. Microwave on medium-high heat until the mixture starts boiling. Pour liquid mixture over chocolate, give it a slight whisk, then cover with plastic wrap. Let sit 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, whisk the mixture. Let sit for an additional 20-30 minutes to allow it to firm slightly. Your mixture should not be easily pourable. If, at the end of 20 minutes, it's still too liquidy, place in the fridge for ~10 minutes, whisking every so often. Be careful though. You don't want it to solidify too much to the point where you can't fill the cupcake or to the point where you are filling your cupcake with chunks of chocolate.
Once your ganache has reached the desired consistency, fill each of the cupcakes.

Place red wine in a small saucepan. Simmer until red wine has reduced to ½ cup. Let cool completely.
In a small saucepan, combine water and 1 cup of the sugar. Set over medium-high heat and cook until the mixture reaches 240° per a candy thermometer.
While your sugar mixture is cooking, place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a whisk attachment, beat mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add ⅓ cup of remaining sugar.
Once the sugar mixture has reached 240°, add it to the egg white mixture in a slow, steady stream while the mixer is running, making sure the sugar mixture avoids touching the whisk attachment as much as possible while pouring.
Beat on medium-high speed until the bowl of the stand mixer is no longer warm to the touch.
Switch to a paddle attachment, and add butter. Your mixture may begin to look soupy. Do not lose heart! It will come together after a couple minutes of mixing.
Stir in 6 Tablespoons of the red wine reduction.
Frost cupcakes.