German Chocolate Cupcakes

Steps

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1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
   ▶ ≈0:06
2. 2
   Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, whisk to combine, and set aside.
   ▶ ≈0:13
3. 3
   Chop the German's chocolate, place it in a small bowl, pour over the hot coffee (or hot water), let sit a few minutes, then whisk until smooth and melted; microwave briefly if needed.
   ▶ ≈2:33
4. 4
   Beat the room-temperature butter until creamy, add the granulated sugar, and beat on medium speed for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.
   ▶ ≈4:36
5. 5
   Whisk together the sour cream and milk until combined; set aside.
   ▶ ≈5:33
6. 6
   Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well and scraping down the bowl.
   ▶ ≈6:19
7. 7
   Mix in the vanilla extract, then add the cooled chocolate-coffee mixture and beat until fully combined.
   ▶ ≈6:52
8. 8
   On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture in three parts with the milk mixture in two parts, then finish folding by hand with a spatula until just combined—avoid overmixing.
   ▶ ≈7:28
9. 9
   Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners (makes 16), fill any empty wells halfway with water, and bake at 350°F for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
   ▶ ≈8:27
10. 10
    For the frosting, combine the brown sugar and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan, then add the egg yolks, butter, and salt.
    ▶ ≈9:31
11. 11
    Chop the pecans, spread on a baking tray, and toast at 350°F for about 8 minutes, stirring every 4 minutes until fragrant.
    ▶ ≈10:53
12. 12
    Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes until it starts to bubble and thicken, then remove from heat.
    ▶ ≈11:19
13. 13
    Stir in the vanilla, shredded coconut, and toasted pecans, then transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooled to a spreadable consistency.
    ▶ ≈12:17
14. 14
    For the ganache, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until steaming, pour over the chopped chocolate, let sit a few minutes, then whisk until smooth (stir in bourbon if desired).
    ▶ ≈13:33
15. 15
    Use an apple corer or a knife to remove a small core from the center of each cupcake, keeping the removed cap.
    ▶ ≈15:25
16. 16
    Fill each cored cupcake with ganache, then replace the cap on top.
    ▶ ≈16:41
17. 17
    Scoop a portion of the coconut pecan frosting onto each cupcake and smooth the top.
    ▶ ≈17:31
18. 18
    Drizzle the remaining ganache over the frosting and garnish with toasted or candied pecans before serving.
    ▶ ≈17:53