Black Forest Cupcakes

These Black Forest Cupcakes are just like the classic cake with their rich chocolate cupcake base, cherry filling, and whipped cream topping. Finely chopped chocolate and fresh cherries are added on top for even more fun!

These cupcakes have three elements: their chocolate cupcake base, cherry filling, and whipped cream topping. You'll bake the chocolate cupcakes first. They come together quickly and are easy to make.

You can use cherry preserves for the filling and will pipe that inside the cooled cupcake once you core it. Then a homemade stabilized whipped cream is piped on top.

A FEW NOTES BEFORE WE GET STARTED

• Room Temperature Ingredients:
  • Butter: It’s important that the butter is softened. In a pinch, you can put your butter in the microwave for about 5 seconds on each side, but watch closely to make sure it is just softening and not melting.
  • Eggs: You also want to make sure that the eggs are at room temperature to ensure that they are properly incorporated into your batter. If you forget to leave them out before you start baking, place them in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes until they become room temperature.
• Measuring Your Ingredients: I strongly encourage that you use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients and ensure that you have the most accurate measurements possible.
  • However, if you don’t have a scale on hand and will be using cup measurements, make sure to use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring to avoid packing in too much of any dry ingredient.

Preheat oven to 350º F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt and set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with your spatula as needed. Add vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk.

Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the coffee to the batter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, carefully scoop 2 tablespoon of batter into each cupcake liner. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and split the remaining batter among the cupcakes until they look even.

Bake for 22-24 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the pan cool on the cooling rack for 15 minutes before gently pulling the cupcakes out of the pan and letting them cool completely on the cooling rack.

Measure the cold water and gelatin into a small bowl. Mix with a spoon and let sit for about 3 minutes. Place in the microwave for about 4-5 seconds to melt it again. Set aside.

Mix the cream on high with a handheld mixer until somewhat stiff peaks have formed. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and gelatin and continue to mix on high until stiff peaks have formed.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a cupcake corer or a small knife to carefully cut out the center of each cupcake about ¾ of the way down. Save the tops that you cut out as these will be added back.

Add the cherry preserves to a pastry bag and carefully pipe into the centers of each cupcake until they're ¾ full. Gently add the tops back so they cover up the preserves. Scoop the stabilized whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with an Ateco 869 or similar piping tip.

Starting in the middle of the cupcake, begin to pipe the frosting in a clockwise motion, moving to the outer rim of the cupcake until you have covered the entire top in a beautiful swirl design. Top with chopped chocolate and a cherry. Repeat this with the remaining cupcakes. Enjoy!

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