Black Forest Cupcakes

  • Serves : 4
  • Difficulty level : Easy
  • Type : Breakfast
  • Cuisine : French

Ingredients

  • For the cakes
  • 50g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)  broken into small pieces
  • 175g butter softened
  • 175g soft brown sugar 
  • eggs 
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract  
  • 175g self-raising flour 
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder 
  • A pinch salt  
  • 50g cocoa sieved
  • For the filling
  • 75g  black cherry conserve 
  • To decorate
  • 275g  vanilla frosting  
  • A handful chocolate sprinkles  

Method

  1. Grease a 12 hole cupcake tin with a little cake release. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
  2. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave on high for 20 seconds. Remove from the microwave, stir and heat further if required until melted and smooth.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract then the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa and fold into the mixture using a metal spoon. Finally, fold in the melted chocolate.
  4. Divide the mixture equally into the cupcake tin and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until well risen and a skewer inserted into a cake in the centre of the tray comes out clean. Allow cakes to stand in the tin on a cooling rack for 10 minutes then carefully remove and allow to cool completely.
  5. Core each cake with the Cupcake Corer and fill each hole with a teaspoon of conserve.
  6. Carefully decorate the top of each cupcake with a spiral of frosting and a few sprinkles.
  7. Tip: These cupcakes will keep for 3 days in an airtight container.