Best. Cupcake. Ever.

This is, quite possibly - nay, most definitely - the Best Cupcake I Have Ever Made.  Ever.

Think of the best cupcake you've ever had.  Now throw that one in the trash and eat this one instead.

Seriously.  That's how good it is.

This is the kind of cupcake that is worth the calories.  And the ten o'clock at night emergency second batch of buttercream.  And the cost of membership at AmericasTestKitchen.com to get the recipes.  And the weird look your neighbor gives you when you poke your head out the door of your condo as she's walking up the stairs to her unit so you can ask her if she wants the last one.

Yes, I gave her the last one.  My Medal of Honor is in the mail.

I wish I could take credit for the recipes, but alas, I cannot.  The geniuses at America's Test Kitchen get all the credit.  And extra credit for writing instructions detailed enough that when I strayed from them just a little bit, I ended up with a vanilla-flavored butterscream of terror in my Pyrex mixing bowl.

Lesson learned:  Follow the instructions exactly, and all will be well with the world.

So go to AmericasTestKitchen.com.  Log in if you're already one of the cool kids, or start your 14-day free trial membership.  Click on "Recipes" and look up the following:

• Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache Filling, and
• Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

You can thank me later.

Eat well.

P.S.  A half recipe of the frosting will be enough for one batch of 12 cupcakes.  Or just be smart and make a full recipe of frosting and 24 cupcakes.  You'll be so, so, so very happy you did.