Boston Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons 2% milk
2/3 cup prepared vanilla pudding
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

• In a small bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.
• Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full.  Bake at 350° for fifteen to swenty minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool for ten minutes before removing to wire rack to cool fully  Cut in a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert a small tip.  Fill with pudding.  Push the tip through the tops of cupcakes to fill with pudding.
• Place chocolate chips in a small bowl.  In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil.  Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth.  Cool, stirring occasionally, to room temperature or until ganache thickens slightly, about ten minutes.  Spoon over cupcakes.  Let stand until set.  Store in airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Makes 6 cupcakes.