Black Forest Cupcakes

I got the recipe for the cake portion of the black forest cupcakes from AllRecipes. The cake itself is simply a chocolate cake. All of the cherry flavor comes from soaking the cake in liqueur and the cherry filling. The coffee extract is optional, but it does add an extra dimension to the flavor. If you don't have coffee extract, you can use freshly brewed espresso. Your cupcake will be pretty moist after filling it with the cherries and juice. But since I almost always add a bit of liqueur in my cakes, I cut out the juice and added a bit of cherry liqueur.

Yield : 16 cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes

Ingredients

Dry

• 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt

Liquid

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp coffee extract
• 1.5 cup buttermilk

Creaming

• 0.5 cup butter
• 1.5 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs

Method

1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and whisk the ingredients to blend.
2. Mix all the liquid ingredients in a cup till well blended.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium low speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at time, ensuring that each is well incorporated before adding the next.
5. Add the dry ingredients alternating with liquid ingredients and complete this step within 60 seconds to avoid overworking the batter.
6. Fill cupcake liners until 3/4 full and bake for twenty minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when touched.
7. This will give you beautiful chocolate cupcakes.

Cherry Filling 101

Although it is quite convenient to use store bought cherry pie filling and there is nothing wrong with that, cherry filling can be made at home but requires a bit of time and inclination and three other ingredients. Any left overs can be used as topping for ice-cream or yogurt.

• 1 lb cherries, washed, pitted, and destemmed
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar

1. Mix all the ingredients into a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool.

Whipped Cream

Again, can be store bought, but nothing like home-made

• 2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the two and whip the whipping cream until it looks like whipped cream.

Constructing the cupcake

1. Line the cupcakes. 
2. sing a paring knife or like I do a large piping tip (using the wider end), cut a hole out of the top of each cupcake
3. Fill with two cherries and a few teaspoons of the juice into each hole. 
4. Sprinkle cherry liqueur which is optional
5. Replace the tops. Dont worry if the tops dont sit pretty as it will be covered with the cream. 
6. Pipe out the whipped cream in swirls
7. Place a cherry on top
8. Sprinkle chocolate shavings.
9.