• Preheat oven to 320 deg F and line a baking pan with 4 liners. Set aside.
• Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In a separate mixing bowl, add oil, sugar, milk, vinegar, coffee and vanilla. Mix well with a whisk to combine.
• Alternate flour and hot water in the cocoa mixture and mix just till all dry ingredients disappear into wet.
• Divide the batter in prepared liners and bake for 23-24 minutes. My cupcakes are always done in 24 minutes.
• Take them out of oven, cool for 2-3 minutes in pan. And allow to cool down further on a wire rack.

For Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

• Heat your heavy cream on stove top/microwave till very hot. But don't let it come to a boil. Meanwhile, chop your chocolate into small chunks.
• Remove cream from heat and add chocolate chunks in the cream immediately. Stir until completely mixed and glossy. Now add vanilla (if adding).
• Give it another stir, cover with a cling wrap/foil and allow to rest till set (at room temperature). The ganache frosting thickens as it sets.
• When you spoon the ganache and it holds its structure, it is ready to be piped.

To fill the cupcakes:

• Using knife, cut a hole in cooled cupcakes (about 1" in diameter and 1" deep into the center of each cupcake. Then gently lift out the center.
• This piece you removed will be some what like the shape of a cone. Slice off the pointy end of this cone so that it covers back the center of your cupcakes, without any frosting oozing out.
• Repeat with all the cupcakes and set these round pieces aside.
• Fill each carved hole with frosting (about 1 Tbsp) and place those round pieces back in the center of cupcakes.
• Then pipe the frosting on cupcakes as desired.