Dark Chocolate Cupcakes With Cherry Buttercream Food

DARK CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease or line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
• Stir flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Dig a well in the center and pour in buttermilk, eggs, butter, oil, and almond extract. Begin stirring, then use an electric mixer to make to a smooth, thick batter. Pour in cherry pie filling and stir until distributed.
• Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Try to distribute cherries evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 23 to 27 minutes. Let cool completely.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Strain maraschino cherries over a large measuring cup. Count out 24 cherries with their stems intact and set aside on paper towels. Remove stems from the remaining cherries and place one in the bottom of each lined muffin cup.
• Stir cherry-flavored brandy into the cherry juice. Add more brandy or water to total 1 1/4 cups liquid. Pour liquid into a bowl.
• Add eggs and oil; beat with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined. Add cake mix and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Evenly divide batter among the muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool in the tins for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting. Combine cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until blended, about 1 minute. Add vanilla extract and salt; beat for 1 minute more. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Add additional powdered sugar if frosting is too thin.
• Frost each cupcake and garnish with the reserved cherries.

DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CHERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Line 24 standard-size muffin cups with paper liners.
• In a medium saucepan, combine butter, chopped chocolate, and cocoa powder.
• Cook over med-low heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth; cool for 15 minutes.
• In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs at high speed with a mixer until thick and pale.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
• Gradually add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.
• Stir in butter-chocolate mixture.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
• Bake for 14-16 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
• Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
• Meanwhile, make buttercream--in the top of a double boiler, whisk sugar and egg whites until combined.
• Cook over simmering water until mixture reaches 140° on a candy thermometer; do not stir.
• Immediately pour mixture into the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer.
• Beat at high speed for 10 minutes; decrease speed to med-low.
• With mixer running, add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating just until combined after each addition.
• Add cherry-flavored syrup, beating until combined.
• Keep buttercream at room temperature until ready to frost cupcakes.
• Pipe or spread Cherry Buttercream over cupcakes.
• Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 5 days.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MALT SHOP CUPCAKES WITH CHERRY-VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 regular 12-cup cupcake tins with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well blended.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, malted milk powder, and espresso powder. Add the canola oil and eggs; whisk to blend. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until well combined. Stir in the miniature chocolate chips.
• Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake tins, filling only halfway full. Bake the cupcakes for 15 to 17 minutes, until they spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
• While the cupcakes bake, prepare the buttercream. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the sugar and the butter on medium-low speed until well blended. Add the vanilla and whipping cream and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light, spreadable and fluffy. Beat in the cherry preserves until well incorporated.
• When the cupcakes have finished baking, let sit in the pans for 2 minutes and then transfer the cupcakes to wire racks to cool for 10 minutes more.
• While the cupcakes cool, transfer the buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Alternatively, you can frost the cupcakes with a knife or offset spatula. When the cupcakes have cooled, pipe the buttercream in decorative swirls on top of the cupcake (or swirl with a spatula). Garnish the top of each cupcake with a malted milk ball or cherry and serve.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Bring cherries, sugar, and lemon juice to a simmer in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove 2 tablespoons of cherry juice from the pot and place in a small bowl. Stir in cornstarch until thoroughly combined. Add cornstarch mixture to the pot and simmer until thickened and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes more.
• Remove compote from heat and cool completely. Measure out 1 cup for the cupcake batter. Reserve remaining compote, about 6 tablespoons, for the frosting.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line or grease two standard 12-cup muffin tins.
• Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat brown sugar, butter, and white sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour in 1/2 of the sour cream and cooled coffee; mix until just combined.
• Continue alternating additions of the flour mixture with sour cream and coffee, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until batter is smooth. Do not overmix. Gently fold in 1 cup cherry compote. Fill each prepared muffin cup 2/3 full of batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in the tins for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Prepare cherry buttercream while the cupcakes are cooling. Beat butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt. Add 2 tablespoons of cherry compote and beat on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined. Repeat twice more with remaining cherry compote, beating well after each addition. Add heavy cream and beat until frosting is fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spread or pipe frosting over the cooled cupcakes.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, a pinch of salt and the butter in a free-standing electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk). Beat on a slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.
• Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla extract together in a jug, then slowly pour about half into the flour mixture. Beat to combine and turn the mixer up to high speed, scraping any mixture from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour in the remaining liquid and continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until approximately two-thirds full. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, make chocolate buttercream or plain buttercream and spread it over the cakes with a palette knife, or use a piping bag. Scatter over chocolate vermicelli, if you like.

DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• In small microwavable bowl, microwave 2 tablespoons chocolate chips uncovered on High 1 minute, until melted, stirring once halfway through heating. Pour chocolate onto 12 x10-inch sheet of waxed paper; spread in thin layer, forming 3 x3-inch square. Place second 12 x10-inch sheet of waxed paper over chocolate square; press to release air bubbles. Roll waxed paper tightly into a cylinder. Regenerate until set.
• In medium heat- place 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips and 1/4 cup butter. In small microwavable bowl, microwave whipping cream on High about 1 minute or until cream just begins to simmer. Pour cream over chips and butter; beat with whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and shiny. Refrigerate 30 to 45 minutes until completely cooled, stirring occasionally.
• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place Reynolds Baking Cups in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder; set aside. In small bowl, mix boiling water and cocoa until dissolved.
• In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Beat 2 more minutes. Beat in vanilla and egg until blended. On low, alternatively add flour mixture and cocoa mixture, beating just until blended. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• Beat frosting with electric mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds (Do not overheat.) Fit decorating bag with large star tip. Fill bag with frosting. Pipe frosting in circular top of each cupcake and mounding frosting slightly in center.
• Unroll waxed paper cylinder, causing chocolate to crack creating shards. Garnish each cupcake with chocolate shards. Store in refrigerator.