Cupcake Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F and line a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
2. To a large bowl, add and whisk together all-purpose flour, brown and granulated sugars, dutch processed cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.  
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your vanilla extract, eggs, greek yogurt or sour cream, buttermilk, and oil.
4. Pour your hot water into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix so that some of the dry ingredients begin to moisten, and then pour bowl of other ingredients to this one. Mix again until all ingredients are fully incorporated. 
5. Pour and evenly spread the batter into your prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back at the touch of your finger.
6. Let cupcakes cool in pan about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Ganache

1. Make a double boiler over a stovetop burner using a small pot, filled with a few cups of water, and a heatproof bowl that can sit within the pot. Add the chopped chocolate and heavy cream to the bowl in your pot. Once water is boiling in the pot, whisk the chocolate and heavy cream every 30 seconds or so until it’s smooth and all pieces of chocolate having melted into the mixture.
2. Turn off burner and carefully remove bowl from pot - it will be hot.
3. Set bowl on countertop for about 3 minutes.
4. Add cream cheese and slightly cooled melted chocolate and heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
5. Mix cream cheese, chocolate mixture, and vanilla extract for one minute. It will look lumpy at first.
6. Beat in powdered sugar last for about 2 minutes, starting on low speed and then increasing. Texture resembles pudding.

Cupcake Assembly

1. Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a tip of your choice – I used 2D for these cupcakes!
2. Swirl frosting onto cupcakes, and top with sprinkles if desired.