Triple Chocolate Jack Daniel's Cupcakes are to die for! Dark chocolate cupcakes with whiskey ganache & rich buttercream are a boozy dessert done right!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cup (standard size) muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Place your butter for the frosting out on the counter now so it'll be soft when you're ready.
Cupcakes:
In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly mixed.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg, whiskey, buttermilk, and oil until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, in 2 additions, mixing until just combined after each addition.
Using a medium cookie scoop, portion the cake batter into each of the 12 muffin tin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool completely in the pan.
Ganache:
While the cupcakes cool, place the chocolate chips in a heat-safe glass bowl.
Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and cover the bowl with some foil or the bottom of a dinner plate. Let stand for 2-3 minutes.
Whisk the cream and chocolate together until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the whiskey until smooth and completely incorporated.
Refrigerate the ganache for 30 minutes to firm it up.
Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, cooled ganache, cocoa powder, heavy cream, whiskey, and vanilla until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar 1/2 to 1 cup at a time. Mix until completely combined (no sugar is showing).
Transfer the frosting, in the same mixing bowl, to the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
Remove the frosting from the refrigerator, and beat it for 1 minute to fluff up the frosting.
Assembly:
Using a cupcake corer or a paring knife, cut a well in the center of the cupcake, making sure not to go all the way to the edges.
Using a small cookie scoop, portion 1 tablespoon of the chilled ganache into the hole you just made in the cupcake. Use the back of a spoon to press the ganache into the cupcake and smooth the top.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large tip with frosting. Frost the top of the cupcake generously. If desired, sprinkle the cupcake cake with chocolate jimmies.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.