Black Forest Cupcakes

Black Forest Cupcakes

Black Forest Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes.

• 1 recipe Chocolate Cupcakes
• 1 thirty-ounce cherry pie filling
• Whipped Cream

Make the Chocolate Cupcakes and allow them to cool completely.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the middle of the cupcakes. Set each of the scoops you remove from the cupcakes aside to use later.

Place a heaping tablespoon of pie filling in the divot you created in each cupcake. Place the tops of the cupcakes you removed back on top of the pie filling. Press down a bit so they are nearly level.

If you’re not serving the cupcakes right away, you can use frosting instead of whipped cream or you can cover them and place them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to top them with whipped cream. Whipped cream will melt if it sits out too long, so don’t add the whipped cream until right before serving. This being said, you can make the whipped cream up to a day ahead but will need to refrigerate and re-whip it right before decorating the cupcakes.

Using a decorating bag with a large border tip, decorate the tops with whipped cream.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup hot water

Place dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Place eggs, buttermilk, oil, sour cream, and vanilla in a separate container and beat together until eggs are well-beaten. Add the wet ingredients (minus the hot water) to the dry ingredients. Mix together and then add the hot water at low speed. Scrape down the edges of the bowl to be sure to incorporate all ingredients into the batter. Mix on medium speed for a couple of minutes.

Prepare cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until a fork poked inside comes out clean. Or carefully touch the top of one quickly and see if it springs back up. If it does, then they’re ready. Let them cool completely.

Whipped Cream

• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Pour heavy whipping cream into a mixer.

Mix on medium to medium-high speed for about 2 minutes watching continuously.

You are looking out for what is called “soft peaks”. 

When you reach soft peaks, add the powdered sugar. Taste to make sure it is the sweetness you enjoy from whoop cream.

Mix just about 30 seconds longer to reach stiff peaks.