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Black Forest Cupcakes

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Hello there, today we are talking birthdays. Most importantly, birthdays mean cake, lots of it. Shared amongst family and friends in a celebration of us getting another year older. And yes, I hear you, cakes could also be seen as a comfort food, for those of us notching up the years! When I was younger, every year for my birthday I would ask for a Black Forest Gateaux. Especially as the best part was having a slice for breakfast, the day after my birthday. Ooh it tasted so good and my love for this dessert inspired me to make these Black Forest Cupcakes.

Pinterest sized image of Black Forest Cupcakes with descriptive graphics.

 

Also I have added my own little twists, but the basic components stay the same; lighter than light chocolate sponge, dark cherries in glorious deep ruby syrup and a mascarpone cream topping. So, have I got your attention now?

Black Forest Cupcakes

Remembered Flavours

Previously as I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I actually don’t bake cupcakes very often. Such was my craving for the taste of Black Forest Gateaux that I finally conceded to make these Black Forest Cupcakes. 

Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa herself is famous for saying she likes “Rembered flavours.” Since our tastebuds can transport us to various places and times the instant they are tantalised with a remembered flavour.

And Black Forest Cupcakes so do that to me. Memories of birthdays past flooded my brain as I took the first bite. Delicious doesn’t even begin to describe how good these cupcakes are!

Black Forest Cupcakes

 

Using mascarpone and cream for the topping gives these cupcakes a rich, creamy flavour. You can see I haven’t overloaded these cupcakes with topping. A small swirl, topped with a syrupy cherry, is the perfect compliment to the moist, light, chocolate, sponge.

Okay confession time! As soon as these Black Forest Cupcakes had been assembled and had their beauty shots taken, I unashamedly face planted, straight into one. And what’s life without a little fun?! So I had to wash my face, hands afterwards, yet it was totally worth it. So, when you make these, I encourage you to do the same. And have some fun!

Black Forest Cupcakes

Recipe : Makes 18 Black Forest Cupcakes

225g/8oz Unsalted Butter – room temperature

225g/8oz Caster Sugar

1/4tsp Salt

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey 

200g/7oz Plain White Flour

50g/2oz Cocoa – I use Callebaut

2tsp Baking Powder

4 Large Eggs – free range if possible

50ml/2fl oz Milk – whole or semi skimmed

250g/9oz Mascarpone Cheese

150ml/5fl oz Double Cream

1tsp Caster Sugar

375g/10oz Pouch or Tin Good Quality Cherry Pie Filling – alternatively use fresh cherries with the stone removed.

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan, 350F, gas mark 4.

Making The Chocolate Cupcake Batter

  • First of all, place 18 cupcake cases into deep cupcake or muffin tins.
  • Then place the butter, sugar, vanilla extract and salt in to a large bowl.
Whisked butter sugar salt and vanilla extract form the basis of the cupcakes batter.
Whisked butter, sugar, salt and vanilla extract.

 

  • Whisk the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt together until pale and creamy.
  • Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together into a separate bowl (dry mix).
  • Add one third of the dry mix to the creamed butter mixture, whisk briefly and then add 2 eggs and whisk again.
  • Repeat the last 2 steps again and then finish by adding the milk and the last of the dry mix. Whisk until fully incorporated.
Chocolate cupcake batter that will form the The Base of each Black Forest Cupcake.
Chocolate cupcake batter.

 

  • Spoon the chocolate batter into each cupcake case. I use a standard ice cream scoop as this ensures each cupcake is the same size.
Using an ice cream scoop to evenly fill each cupcake case.
Filling the cupcake cases.
  • Finally, check that all of the cupcake cases are filled equally.
Cupcake cases filled with chocolate batter ready to be baked and decorated as Black Forest Cupcakes.
Cupcakes ready to be baked.

 

Baking The Cupcakes

  • Place the tins into the middle and lower part of a preheated oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
  • The cupcakes are cooked when pressed lightly on top, the sponge springs back.
Tins containing freshly baked chocolate cupcakes.
Freshly backed chocolate cupcakes.

 

  • As soon as the cupcakes are baked remove from the oven.
  • Remove the cupcakes from the pan and leave to cool completely on a cooling rack.
Chocolate cupcakes cooling on a rack prior to being turned into Black Forest Cupcakes.
Freshly baked chocolate cupcakes cooling on a rack.

Making The Whipped Mascarpone Frosting And Decorating The Cupcakes

  • To make the topping, whisk together the mascarpone, cream and caster sugar until stiffened.
  • This process can easily done by hand, it takes very little time. Also beware of over whisking as the mixture will separate.

 

Black Forest Cupcakes whipped mascarpone topping in a bowl.
Whipped mascarpone cupcake frosting.
  • Fit a large piping bag with a large star tip, I use Wilton 1M. Fill with the mascarpone mixture and pipe small swirls on top of each cupcake.
Swirls of piped mascarpone frosting on top of the chocolate sponge reading to be finished with a cherry and some syrup that completes the Black Forest Cupcakes
Whipped mascarpone topped chocolate cupcakes.
  • Tip the cherry pie filling into a bowl.
  • Use a spoon to place a cherry on top of each of the cupcakes.
  • Finally, go back and drizzle a little of the syrup over each cupcake.
Black Forest Cupcakes

If not eaten immediately, these Black Forest Cupcakes need to be kept refrigerated in an air tight container, where they will keep for up to 3 days.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Black Forest Cupcakes you may also like these:

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

Blueberry topped cupcakes.
Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Edible pearl topped frosted cupcakes in wintage style cupcake cases on a doilie topped cake stand.
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Pink Heart Topped White Chocolate Cupcakes

Cupcakes in pink cupcake cases topped with piped white frosting and a single pink chocolate speckled heart.
Pink Heart Topped White Chocolate Cupcakes

Since I have revealed my birthday cake of choice from my younger years and also today, I would love to know if you’ve had a favourite flavour. Either birthday cakes or remembered flavours from days gone by? And because I love Black Forest flavours so much I also have a gluten free  Black Forest Roulade which you may want to try!

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie x

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Chocolate and cherry cupcakes, with whipped cream topping.

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Sammie

Hi, I'm Sammie and I’m passionate about creating tasty recipes, both sweet and savoury that you can make at home. Every recipe is easy and fun to make and should taste like a feast without the fuss!

8 thoughts on “Black Forest Cupcakes”

  1. What spectacular cupcakes! They remind me of our summer vacations in Aspen where we loved to check out the dessert case at the Austrian/German restaurant. We all oohed and ahhed over their Black Forest Cake, but my mom never gave in to our begging 🙂

    1. Ah I bet she had your best interests at heart. A large Black Forest Gateaux is a beautiful sight to behold. Making smaller cupcakes definitely helps with portion control. Thank you for leaving your comment Liz, I love your site. Sammie

  2. just look at that delicious cupcake. I have just recently started choosing mascarpone to cream cheese in my frostings. the cherry on top makes it extra special! Hands down the flavor I remember the most from childhood is carrot cake. My grandmother made the meanest carrot cake you have ever tasted and still does to this day

    1. Thank you for popping over from Kitchen Belleicious to leave such a wonderful comment. I too love carrot cake and will be hopping over to your site to see if your Grandmother has divulged the recipe. Sammie x

  3. Black Forest Cake is my dad’s absolute favourite cake and he too asks for it every birthday! Here’s a laugh, when I was a kid I would eat around the “wet” fruit part, and devour the chocolate cake and cream only. “Kids!”

    His birthday is coming up and I can’t wait to try these – we’ve never had black forest in cupcake form! Beautiful post Sammie! – Liz

    1. Ah Liz something tells me you probably still do that 😉? I was going to use my new cupcake corer and pop some of the ‘wet stuff’ inside, but I couldn’t find it – ha! I think it would make them extra luscious, but they’d have to be eaten the same day – it’s a tough life 😀. Thank you Liz for your comment and I hope your Dad has a very happy birthday. Sammie x

  4. Ah thank you Liz. There were delicious and did not last very long. There may be a few more cupcake posts as we are getting into my families birthday ‘season’!!! Sammie x

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