Chocolate Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF with oven racks in bottom and top third positions. Line two standard 12-cup muffin tins with foil liners.****
2. In a large, heat-safe bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add egg, sour cream, and vegetable oil and fold in just until evenly combined. Stir in coffee (or water) just until smooth.
3. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into each muffin cup. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, flipping and rotating trays halfway through baking time, just until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, keep covered until ready to begin assembling cupcakes.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Ganache & Caramel Drizzle

1. Place sugar in a large, heavy-bottomed pot, evenly spread out to cover pan's bottom surface. Place over medium-low heat and let heat until sugar begins to liquefy. As this happens, use a heat-safe spatula to spoon liquified sugar over solid sugar until all has melted. Continue to stir gently until caramel reaches a rusty copper color. Meanwhile, towards the end of this time, heat cream in microwave for 60-90 seconds, until just beginning to boil.
2. Once caramel reaches proper color, immediatley remove from heat. While stirring, slowly and carefully pour in cream. Mixture will boil rapidly; continue to stir until bubbling subsides.
3. Return caramel to low heat if needed to melt any bits of sugar that may have seized (hardened), stirring constantly.*****Remove from heat and stir in sea salt.
4. Transfer 1/2 cup of caramel to a heat-safe container and let cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place chocolate in a med-large, microwave-safe bowl. Once caramel has cooled briefly, pour over chocolate to submerge completely, and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir until as smooth as possible, and then (if needed) microwave for 5-second increments, stirring in between, until completely smooth.
5. Spoon a thin layer of caramel ganache over each cupcake to cover completely. Cover and allow to cool and set. Freeze for 1 hour before adding ice cream.
6. Store remaining caramel in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.

Assembly & Garnish

1. Working with 1-2 cupcakes at a time and leaving remaining in freezer, spoon ice cream into each cupcake to fill to top and level off with a knife or icing spatula. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.
2. Just before serving, peel off foil liners, drizzle with salted caramel, and sprinkle with sea salt.