Black Forest Cupcakes

These black forest cupcakes feature homemade chocolate cupcakes filled with cherries, then topped with cherry buttercream and a fresh cherry. An easy and elegant dessert option!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 18

Total Time 53

Servings

Calories 429kcal

Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

For the cake

½ cup boiling water
½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs room temperature
½ cup buttermilk
1¼ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

For the filling

¾ cup cherry pie filling

For the frosting

¾ cup unsalted butter softened
3½ cups powdered sugar sifted
⅓ cup cherry jam or preserves
3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
¼ teaspoon almond extract

For garnish

¼ cup cherry syrup from can of cherry pie filling
12 fresh cherries

Instructions

For the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
Place the boiling water, cocoa powder and instant coffee in a small bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine until smooth, then set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, add the vegetable oil, eggs, buttermilk, granulated sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is well combined.
Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the large bowl, and whisk again until fully incorporated.
Set a sieve over the mixing bowl, and sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use a spatula to gently fold the ingredients together, being careful not to overmix. The batter will be runny with a few lumps.
Divide the cake batter between the 12 muffin cups, each cup should be about ¾ full.
Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
The cupcakes will have risen slightly over the edges of the liners and should feel springy to the touch. Set aside to completely cool.

For the frosting

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer that has a paddle attachment on it. Beat the butter for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until you have a smooth, thick mixture.
Add the cherry jam, then mix on low speed to combine.
Slowly add the cream and almond extract. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat for 2-3 minutes or until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with an open star tip.

For the filling

Use the large side of a piping tip to cut a core out of the center of each cupcake.
Fill each cupcake hole with cherry pie filling. You should be able to fit 2-3 cherries in each along with some syrup.
Slice a ½ inch off the top of each piece of cake core, and use the cut cores to plug the opening of each cupcake.
Pipe swirls of cherry buttercream on top of each cupcake and drizzle over some leftover syrup from the can of cherry pie filling. For a final garnish, top each cupcake with a fresh cherry.

Notes

Black forest cupcakes will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Most varieties of cherry jam and cherry preserves contain pieces of fruit, which means your frosting will not be completely smooth. If you prefer an ultra smooth frosting, you can strain the pieces of fruit out of the jam before you add it to the sugar and butter.
If fresh cherries are not in season near you, feel free to garnish the cupcakes with a cherry from the cherry pie filling can, a maraschino cherry, a jarred Italian amarena cherry or a luxardo cherry.
I find it easiest to cut a core out of the center of each cake with the large round end of a piping tip. You can also purchase a cupcake corer kitchen tool, or simply use a paring knife.

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