Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place rack in center of oven. Line 10-12 muffin cups with paper or foil baking cups.
Melt the chocolate and butter in double boiler. Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, remove and let cool for a few minutes. Mix in sugar a little at a time, until all sugar is dissolved. Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the flour and salt just until blended. Don't over mix*.
Evenly divide the batter between the muffin cups. Place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE*. Remove and let cool on a wire rack. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost. You can either spread the frosting on the cupcakes with a small spatula, or if piping, use a medium to large closed star tip to make little rosebuds.
Chocolate Frosting:
Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Beat the butter in a separate bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat until all ingredients are incorporated. Increase speed on mixer and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 minutes).
Recipe from the JoyofBaking.com
Notes
-If you don't have a double boiler, you can either: Melt the chocolate and butter in a stainless steel or other heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Or, use the microwave. Be careful not to scorch the chocolate. Heat for about 30 seconds at a time, then stir.-I made 12 cupcakes in a standard size muffin tin. After removing from the oven, they sank a bit in the middle. If you baked longer, they wouldn't sink as much, but the cupcake would be dry. I just filled in the indentation with a little frosting.-**Two of the most common mistakes in making brownies are to over mix (once the flour is added) and to over bake.-*The third most common mistake/sin: Canned Frosting. Don't go there.