How to Make Black Forest Cupcakes
Grown-up Cakes with Cherry Filling for Chocolate Lovers
Aug 20, 2008
Fillings can be added to cupcakes in a number of ways. Delicate creams and custards must be added after the cakes are cooked and cooled. But fillings such as whole berries, sliced fruit, chunky chocolate and nuts, can be baked right into the center of the cake.
Baked-In Fillings
To insert a filling before baking, fill the muffin pans half-full with batter. Add the bits of chunky filling, then top with batter until the tin is full.
Black Forest cake is a classic creation, known in Germany as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. It traditionally oozes with kirschwasser, a double distilled brandy made from the juice of black cherries. If you'd like a more kid-friendly version, replace the kirsch with 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
Makes 12 cupcakes
- 2 cups cherries, fresh and pitted, canned and drained, or frozen and defrosted
- [1/4] cup kirsch
- [3/4] cup water
- [3/4] cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 8 oz.(2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 4[1/4] cups cake flour
- 1[1/2] tsp. baking soda
- [1/2] tsp. baking powder
- [1/4] tsp. kosher salt
- [2/3] cup sour cream
- 1 recipe Sweetened Whipped Cream (see below)
- 1 TB. sugar
- Chocolate shavings to decorate
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a muffin tin with pan spray, and insert paper cups. Combine drained cherries with kirsch and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine water and chocolate chips. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring until melted. Remove from heat and cool.
- In a large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar until creamy and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then add cooled chocolate and combine thoroughly. Sift together cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and add alternately with sour cream. Fill muffin cups half full with batter, add 3-4 cherries to each cup, reserving liquid and remaining cherries. Top off with remaining batter, so that the muffin tins are filled to the rim. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until firm to the touch. Cool completely.
- Drizzle cherry liquid on top of each cupcake and let soak in. Ice with whipped cream, and decorated with chocolate shavings and remaining cherries. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
The French name of this all-purpose topping is Crème Chantilly. The flavor should be subtly sweet, not cloying, because it is generally used to top desserts already sweetened. The flavor is easily changed to suit any recipe.
Makes: 3-4 cups whipped cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, well chilled
- 3 TB. sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- In a large bowl, combine cream, sugar and vanilla. Using a whisk or an electric mixer, whip cream until soft peaks appear. Watch carefully as the cream continues to stiffen, and stop when it reaches medium peaks. Use immediately, or chill for up to 30 minutes.
