Chocolate Covered Cherry Cupcakes

For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups cake flour, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Set flour mix aside. 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs with the whisk attachment on medium speed (15-20 seconds). 3. Add 3/4 cup sugar and continue to beat on medium speed (30 seconds). 4. Add vanilla and oil and beat on medium speed (1 minute) 5. Reduce mixer speed to medium/low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour mix and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl. The batter should be thin. 6. Stir in chopped maraschino cherries (may add a small amount of juice if you would like a pink tint to your cake) 7. Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. Fill to about 1/2 full. 8. Bake for 12 -14 minutes at 350 degrees, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then remove. For the Chocolate Ganache: Put the chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl -- ideally the bowl of a stand mixer. Heat the cream to boiling and pour over the chocolate. Let it sit for about ten minutes, then add the salt and flavoring, if desired, and blend with the whisk attachment of a stand mixer or just stir by hand with a spatula. For Whipped Ganache: Refrigerate your ganache for about two hours, or until firm all the way through. Whip with a stand mixer or beaters until soft, whipped, and slightly lightened in color. Process of assembly: After cupcakes have cooled dip the tops in your liquid ganache and set aside. After the remaining ganache has been chilled and whipped load into a piping bag and pipe on top of cupcakes. Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired and top with a maraschino cherry.