Black Forest Cupcakes
Featuring chocolate cupcakes with cherry filling, cherry liqueur, a whipped cream frosting, and a cherry on top, these Black Forest Cupcakes are rich, decadent, and incredible in taste and texture!
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
FOR THE CUPCAKES
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (optional, but recommended)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
FOR THE CHERRY FILLING
- 1 & 1/2 cups cherries , pitted and quartered
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons cherry liqueur
FOR THE FROSTING
- 3 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream , chilled
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
FOR THE TOPPING
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate , finely chopped
- 12 fresh whole cherries (dark sweet cherries)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with muffin liners and set it aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and eggs. Add the sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract, and blend until the mixture is fully incorporated.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mixing until well combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Fill each muffin liner about three-quarters full.
- Bake for approximately 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the cherry filling and whipped cream frosting.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it gently simmer for 6-8 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat, stir in the cherry liqueur, and let it cool completely.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, mix the unflavored gelatin and water to remove any lumps. Let it bloom for 2-3 minutes, then microwave for 15-20 seconds until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the chilled heavy whipping cream and mix using a hand mixer for about 5 minutes, until it slightly thickens. Gradually add a teaspoon of sugar at a time while continuing to whip until soft peaks form.Add the prepared gelatin to the whipped cream little by little, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. This entire process should take approximately 12-13 minutes.
- Transfer the stabilized whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip nozzle, and secure the other end with a clamp.
- To create a cavity in each cupcake, use a cupcake corer or the back of a decorating nozzle to scoop out the center. (Enjoy the leftover piece of cupcake!)
- Fill the cavity with a teaspoon of the prepared cherry filling.
- Pipe the whipped cream onto the cupcake. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate and place a fresh whole cherry on top. Drizzle the excess juice from the cherry filling over the frosting. Eat and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 1003IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg