Black Forest cherry cupcakes

Ingredients

For the batter

• 200 g sugar
• 115 g plain flour
• 60 g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• A pinch of vanilla sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 90 g sour cream (or use 35 % double cream)
• 1 tbsp milk
• 125 ml cooled black coffee
• 50 g neutral-flavoured vegetable oil

For the filling

• 500 ml cherry compote (some may be left over)
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 30 ml Kirsch or light rum

For the topping/decoration

• 200 ml 35 % double cream
• 100 g cream cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla sugar
• 1 packet of whipped cream stabiliser
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 10 ml Kirsch or light rum (optional, for adults only)
• 16–20 cherries from the compote
• 50 g dark chocolate (optional)

For baking

• cupcake tray with paper cases

Method

1. Prepare the cupcake cases. You can use standard muffin cases or line metal cupcake tins with paper cases of the appropriate size.
2. Preheat the oven to 170 °C.
3. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients until smooth – sifted plain flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, vanilla sugar, and baking powder.
4. In another bowl, mix the cream, milk, eggs, and cooled coffee, then fold this mixture into the dry ingredients. Finally, stir in the oil.
5. Divide the batter among the cases, leaving some space at the top for the cupcakes to rise. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Check if baked through with a wooden skewer – if it comes out clean and dry, the cupcakes are ready. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
6. Prepare the filling. If the cherries in the compote have stones, remove them. Set aside as many cherries as needed for decoration on a paper towel.
7. Pour a few tablespoons of the cherry compote syrup into a small bowl – this will be used to moisten the sponge. For adult-only servings, add a little Kirsch.
8. Heat the pitted cherries with the compote syrup in a saucepan. Dissolve the potato starch in half a cup of cold water. Add sugar, 2 tablespoons of Kirsch or rum, and the dissolved starch. Bring to the boil, stirring, until the mixture begins to bubble, then remove immediately from the heat.
9. Using a knife, cut a conical hole in the centre of each cooled cupcake to create a small well. Arrange the cupcakes on a tray, placing the removed tops beside each cupcake.
10. Brush the cupcake bases with the Kirsch and compote syrup mixture.
11. Spoon the hot cherry filling into the wells and immediately replace the tops. Allow to cool. Any leftover filling can be eaten as is – it’s very tasty.
12. Whip the double cream and cream cheese together, adding a little sugar, vanilla sugar, a packet of whipped cream stabiliser, and, if serving to adults only, 1 tablespoon of Kirsch or rum.
13. Decorate the cupcakes with the cream, either using a piping bag with a nozzle or spooning it on. Place a cherry on top of each cupcake.
14. If desired, decorate further with chocolate. Using a vegetable peeler, shave thin curls from the edge of a chocolate bar. Work quickly to prevent the chocolate from melting. Sprinkle the chocolate curls over the cupcakes. Serve immediately, though they will remain delicious the following day. Store in a closed container in the fridge.