Black Forest Cupcakes

 Black Forest Cupcakes
Yield 12

Cupcakes

Cooking spray or liners

1 cup sugar

¾ cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp fine salt

1 large egg

½ cup whole milk

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup boiling water

 

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Coat the wells of a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.

Whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, milk, oil and vanilla, then beat with the stand or hand mixer on medium speed until well-combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the boiling water. The batter will be quite thin. Divide the batter evenly between the wells in the pan, filling each no more than 3/4 full.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Frosting/Filling

2 cups heavy cream

½ cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp kirsch (optional)

1 cup canned cherry pie filling

12 fresh cherries, pitted

2 oz good quality dark chocolate, shaved

 

Meanwhile, place the cream in a clean, large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the cream with the stand or a hand mixer on high speed until soft peaks develop, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, vanilla, and kirsch if using and continue beating until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes more. Place the whipped cream in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the cupcakes.

Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, use a paring knife to slice into the top of each cupcake, cutting a cone about 1 1/2 inches in diameter out of the center, without cutting through the bottom of the cupcake. Spoon the cherry pie filling into the center of each cupcake.

Transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Top each cupcake with a fresh cherry and chocolate shavings.

Thekitchn.com

Per plain cupcake

For Frosting and filling