I preheated my oven to 350°F (175°C) and lined a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Then I whisked the cake mix, eggs, water, and oil in a large bowl until smooth—about 2 minutes. I filled each cupcake liner about ⅔ full and baked them for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick came out clean. Once done, I let them cool completely on a rack.

In another bowl, I whisked the instant pudding mix with milk (and cream for extra richness) until thickened—about 2–3 minutes. Then I chilled it in the fridge while the cupcakes cooled.

I used a melon baller to scoop out a small hole from the center of each cupcake (don’t go too deep). Then I filled a piping bag with the custard and piped it right into the center. I pressed a little bit of the removed cake back on top to seal it.

In a small saucepan, I heated the cream until it just started to bubble around the edges. I poured it over the chocolate chips in a bowl, let it sit for a minute, then stirred until smooth and glossy. A bit of butter made it even shinier.

Once the ganache cooled slightly, I spooned it over the tops of the cupcakes, letting it drip a little for that perfect glossy finish.