Black Forest Cupcakes
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This easy black forest cupcakes recipe is a great way to celebrate cherry season. These moist chocolate cupcakes are a delicious way to enjoy a seasonal chocolate dessert.
The recipe features fresh cherries for a rich and fruity flavor, though you can use store-bought cherry pie filling or cherry jam for a quicker version. Who doesn’t love saving time?
This is one of our easy cupcake recipes that you will want to bookmark for later.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Flavorful. These rich chocolate cupcakes are topped with a light cream frosting, made from heavy whipping cream, and finished with fresh black cherries.
Easy. Made with fresh cherries, natural cocoa powder, and a few staple ingredients, these decadent Black Forest cupcakes come together quickly once your ingredients are prepped.
Unique and Unexpected. This is a playful spin on the iconic Black Forest cake. It’s the perfect chocolate cake recipe for birthdays or celebrations, thanks to its standout chocolate flavors and fruity topping.
Ingredients for black forest cupcakes
- sugar
- cocoa powder
- coffee
- baking spices
- heavy cream
- fresh cherries
- all purpose flour
See recipe card for quantities. For best results, use cherries and coffee at room temperature.
Equipment and kitchen tools
- stand mixer or electric mixer (hand)
- cupcake pan
- cupcake liners
- wire rack
- piping bag and tip optional
- cherry pitter
How to make cherry chocolate cupcakes
Step 1 – Combine cherries, lemon and sugar in medium saucepan. Heat on low about 20 minutes. Set aside.
Step 2- In a separate mixing bowl, add wet ingredients. Blend together with mixer.
Step 3 – Add dry ingredients and mix together,
Step 4- Add cocoa powder and blend well.
Step 5 – Pour cupcake batter in liners. Bake as directed. While cupcakes are baking prepare heavy whipping cream..
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Step 6 – Prepare frosting and gather cherry sauce and cherries.
Step 7 – Frost the cupcakes and spoon cherry and sauce on top of the cupcake.
Place a cherry in the center of each cupcake.
Tips for the Best Results
- Fill cupcake liners about ⅔ full for even baking.
- Let cupcakes cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
- An easy way to save time is to streamline the fresh cherry filling. You can make it ahead of time or use a version from your grocery store.
- Use a cupcake corer to add a spoonful of homemade cherry filling or cherry compote to the center of the cupcake for an authentic touch.
- For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale and measuring cup when portioning ingredients.
- Beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form for the best homemade whipped cream.
- Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric mixer on medium speed to blend the batter evenly.
- Keep frosting in a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip for neat application to the top of each cupcake.
- For extra flair, garnish with dark chocolate shavings, or chocolate sprinkles on the tops of the cupcakes.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cherry pie filling – Use instead of fresh cherries if you’re short on time.
- Toppings – Add shaved chocolate, chopped nuts, or a single maraschino cherry on top.
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder or unsweetened cocoa powder both work well.
FAQs About This Recipe
After they have cooled completely, store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you want to store them for a longer period, you can freeze them in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to three months.
To prevent cupcakes from sticking to the liners, make sure to use high-quality liners and avoid overfilling them.
Coffee simply enhances the flavor of chocolate. If you want to omit it, you can substitute water for the coffee.
More Easy Cupcake Recipe Ideas
Easy Black Forest Cupcakes
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or electric mixer (hand)
- cupcake pan
- cupcake liners
- Wire Rack
- piping bag and tip optional
- cherry pitter
Ingredients
Classic Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients
- 1 1 /2 cups sugar
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup freshly brewed coffee
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
Stabilized Whipping Cream frosting
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cherry Sauce
- 2 cups chopped and de-seeded fresh cherries
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place liners in a cupcake pan, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, sour cream, oil, egg, baking powder, and salt. Combine well.
- Add in the dry ingredients: cocoa powder, coffee, vanilla and flour. Mix well – stopping the mixer, scraping the sides and mixing again until smooth.
- Fill each cupcake liner until about ⅔ full. Bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
- To make the cherry sauce – ensure that all seeds and stems have been removed from the cherries. Combine the chopped cherries, lemon juice and sugar in a small sauce pan and simmer over low heat for approximately 20 minutes or until the cherries have liquefied. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before decorating the cupcakes.
- To make the stabilized whipped cream – combine the gelatin and water and microwave for approximately 30 seconds. Stir to ensure the gelatin is melted and allow to cool slightly while making the whipped cream.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on high speed for about 2-3 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
- Drizzle the water gelatin mixture over the whipped cream and gently fold in by hand until well combined. Transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, the cherry sauce has cooled and the whipping cream has been made, you’re ready to decorate.
- Gently pipe a swirl of whipping cream on each cupcake. Using a spoon, scoop out a cherry and gently place on top of the whipping cream in the center of the cupcake. The sauce will drip down the sides of the cupcake. Add more if desired.
- Enjoy!
Such great flavors together. We actually have a local ice cream place that has a Black Forest ice cream flavor, because of the popularity.
Love the sour cream and black coffee used. Will have to try this one out.
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