These Black Forest cupcakes are rich with chocolate, topped with light whipped cream and hiding a cherry pie filling surprise inside. An ideal dessert for any celebration.
My husband’s favourite dessert is Black Forest cake: deep chocolate flavour, a spoonful of cherry filling in the center, and a cloud of whipped cream finished with chocolate shavings. This year I didn’t have time for a full cake, so I made individual Black Forest cupcakes — they were quick, tidy and loved by everyone.
Cupcakes are especially convenient for serving guests and make neat single portions. The assembly is simple, and the result is just as satisfying as the classic cake.
What ingredients are needed for Black Forest cupcakes
Black Forest cupcakes
- all-purpose flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- eggs
- granulated sugar
- butter
- vanilla extract
- milk or buttermilk
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
Frosting & filling:
- cherry pie filling
- heavy cream (35%)
- powdered sugar
- small tablet of milk chocolate (for garnish)
- fresh cherries
Tips for the best chocolate cupcakes
Use good-quality unsweetened cocoa and semi-sweet chocolate chips for a rich chocolate flavour. For the cherry center, a store-bought cherry pie filling works perfectly. Choose a trusted brand available in your area.
For whipped cream topping, use heavy whipping cream with at least 35% fat. Powdered (confectioner’s) sugar whips in more smoothly than granulated sugar. To gently enhance the flavour, add a small amount of vanilla paste; avoid liquid vanilla extract as it can thin the cream.
Fresh cherries make the prettiest garnish. If cherries are out of season, maraschino cherries are a good alternative.
How to make Black Forest cupcakes with whipped frosting
Cupcake batter
Measure ingredients and bring eggs to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (375 °F). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Stir and set aside.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar for about 2 minutes until pale and doubled in volume. Add vanilla, then slowly add milk, melted butter and melted chocolate chips. Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined.
Scoop 1 & 1/2 ice cream scoops (about 60 ml or 1/4 cup per scoop) of batter into each liner. Bake at 180 °C (375 °F) for about 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cupcakes rest in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Core each cupcake using a cupcake corer or a piping tip and spoon in a teaspoon or two of cherry pie filling.
How to make holes in cupcakes
A helpful trick: cool the cupcakes completely, preferably overnight — they’re firmer and easier to core. Use a large piping tip (for example Wilton 1A) or a cupcake corer to remove the center neatly.
Whipped cream frosting
Chill a mixing bowl, pour in the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar, then whip at high speed until stiff peaks form. With an electric mixer this usually takes about one minute.
Topping
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a piping tip (or a cut bag) and pipe a swirl of whipped cream onto each cupcake. Finish with grated or shaved chocolate and top with a fresh cherry.
Storing cupcakes with whipped cream
These cupcakes are best eaten the same day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The whipped cream may soften slightly after a day but the flavour remains excellent.
I do not recommend freezing cupcakes with whipped cream frosting. You can freeze undecorated baked cupcakes for up to 3 months if individually wrapped in plastic and placed in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator before filling and frosting.
“THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE DISCLOSURE PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION.”
Note: I used classic white liners for baking and switched to gold liners for the photoshoot.
More recipes
- CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES FOR VALENTINE’S DAY
- OREO CHEESECAKE CUPCAKES
- HALLOWEEN VANILLA CUPCAKES
- MINI BROWNIE CUPCAKES
- FRENCH MACARONS RECIPE
BLACK FOREST CUPCAKES
Julia
Pin Recipe
Equipment
-
12 muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup (220 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) butter melted
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk or buttermilk
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
Frosting & filling:
- 1 1/4 cups (340 g) cherry pie filling
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (55 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 small tablet (50 g) chocolate for garnish
- 12 fresh cherries
Instructions
Chocolate cupcakes
-
Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and preheat the oven to 180 °C (375 °F).
-
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl: flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Stir and set aside.
-
In another bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until pale and doubled in volume. Add vanilla, then milk, melted butter and melted chocolate chips.
-
Fold in the dry ingredients gently. Portion 1 & 1/2 ice cream scoops (about 60 ml or 1/4 cup per scoop) into each liner.
-
Bake for about 24 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Core each cupcake and fill with cherry pie filling.
Whipped cream frosting
-
Chill a bowl, pour in heavy cream and powdered sugar, then whip on high until stiff peaks form (about one minute with an electric mixer).
Topping
-
Pipe whipped cream onto each cupcake, sprinkle with chocolate shavings and top with a fresh cherry. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Pin this recipe for later!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.