Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
These chocolate cherry cupcakes are decadent and moist, made with fresh cherries. Chocolate cupcakes filled with a sweet cherry filling and topped with a bakery-style vanilla frosting are the perfect way to celebrate cherries in season.
Growing up, cherry season was always a treat in our house, but I didn’t truly appreciate how well cherries and chocolate belong together until I started baking for my family. These chocolate cherry cupcakes actually started as a test for a cake order back when I ran my cake business. I needed a recipe that was rich, moist, and could hold up to a swirl of frosting, but still had that burst of juicy cherry in every bite.
My kids, of course, became my official taste testers, and the giggles and chocolate-stained smiles told me everything I needed to know. Now, these cupcakes have become a family favorite, making an appearance for birthdays, summer gatherings, or just because we find a good batch of cherries at the market. There’s something comforting about the rich chocolate paired with those sweet cherries that feels like a little celebration every time we bake them.
Why make these cupcakes?
- The cupcake batter I used here is my go-to simple chocolate cake batter.
- The cupcakes are moist, light, and fluffy with a tender, soft crumb. The yogurt and the hot water in the recipe are what make them so tender that they easily fall apart.
- The recipe itself is simple and easy and needs no mixers or special equipment. Just two bowls and a whisk are all you need to mix the cupcake batter.
- I am filling them with cherry filling, which just takes these to the next level. The cherry filling itself takes just 5 minutes to prep and can be made a few days ahead of time.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Cherries – I am using fresh cherries for the cupcakes and topping, but you could also use frozen cherries.
- Canola oil – Any cooking oil will work as long as it has no flavor. That way, it won’t affect the flavor of the cupcakes.
- Eggs – Always use large-size eggs when baking unless specified. The size of eggs varies significantly these days, so as a guide, one large egg weighs between 50 and 60 grams.
- All-purpose flour – I like using all-purpose flour for my chocolate-based cakes and cupcakes, as it adds more stability to the cocoa powder.
- Cocoa powder – I’ve used plain Dutch-processed cocoa powder here.
- Yogurt – Yogurt adds a wonderful, tender crumb to chocolate cake batters, but you can also use sour cream.
Step-by-step: Chocolate cherry cupcakes
Cupcake batter
- Preheat oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.
- Wet ingredients – Combine the eggs, yogurt, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil. Use a whisk to make sure the eggs are well incorporated, and there are no lumps.
- Dry ingredients – Use a bowl large enough for the final batter. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix them well together with a whisk.
- Combine wet and dry – Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Combine well, then add the hot water.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Then, bake in the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes (mine took 20 mins). Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cherry filling
- Place cherries in a saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice, and half the water (¼ cup). Heat on low to medium until sugar is dissolved.
- In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup of water with the cornstarch. Combine well and add to the saucepan.
- Continue to cook on low – the mixture will thicken and look glossy. When thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, it’s ready. Cool completely before using.
Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and vegetable shortening for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add cornstarch to the water and add it to the creaming mixture.
- Continue to cream until it’s a smooth mixture again. Then, add vanilla extract followed by powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Once all the sugar is in, whip the buttercream for three minutes until light and fluffy.
Assemble
- Save a few tablespoons of the cherry filling liquid to drizzle over the frosted cupcakes later.
- Core each cupcake in the center and add a generous teaspoon of the filling in the hole. Cut the cored piece in half and place it back on the filling to close the top like a lid.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with a star nozzle. Pipe a generous swirl on top of each cupcake. Drizzle with the saved liquid from the cherry filling and top with a fresh cherry.
- Vanilla cherry cupcakes with whipped cream buttercream
- Chocolate cherry cake with cherry filling
- Cherry Champagne cocktail
- The ultimate cherry pie
- Cherry bars
Frequently asked questions
These cupcakes will keep at room temperature for 3 days. If well wrapped and kept in the fridge, they will keep for 5 to 6 days. The unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to a month.
Yes, you can. Replace 1/2 of the yogurt with cherry puree and continue with everything else the same.
Perhaps not. Melted chocolate is rather heavy for this light and fluffy batter. But if you prefer real chocolate, I suggest you use my chocolate fudge cupcake batter instead. You can still fill them with cherry filling and my vanilla buttercream frosting.
To make an eggless version of these chocolate cherry cupcakes, use my eggless chocolate cake recipe and keep everything else the same.
You can place cupcakes in the fridge for a few minutes to cool them quickly. I like to place them for just 5 to 7 minutes in the freezer.
Never leave cupcakes in the fridge open for long, as they will dry out.
Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
These chocolate cherry cupcakes are decadent and moist, made with fresh cherries. Chocolate cupcakes filled with a sweet cherry filling and topped with a bakery-style vanilla frosting are the perfect way to celebrate cherries in season.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup (300 g) White sugar
- 1 ¾ cup (220 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- 6 tbsp (42 g) Cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) Vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Boiling water
- ½ cup (120 ml) Cup yogurt
- 2 Large eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 7 oz (200 g) Cherries
- ¼ cup (50 g) White sugar
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- ½ cup (120 ml) Water
- ½ cup (113 g) Unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100 g) Vegetable shortening
- 3 cups (360 g) Powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp Hot water
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- ¼ tsp Salt
- Fresh cherries
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Juices saved from the cherry filling
Method
- Preheat oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.
- Wet ingredients – Combine the eggs, yogurt, vanilla extract, and vegetable oil. Use a whisk to make sure the eggs are well incorporated and there are no lumps.⅔ cup Vegetable oil, ⅓ cup Boiling water, ½ cup Cup yogurt, 2 Large eggs, 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- Dry ingredients – Use a bowl large enough for the final batter. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix them well together with a whisk.1 ¾ cup All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking soda, ½ tsp Baking powder, 6 tbsp Cocoa powder, ¼ tsp Salt, 1 ½ cup White sugar
- Combine wet and dry – Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Combine well, then add the hot water.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Then, bake in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes (mine took 20 mins). Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Place the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and half the water (¼ cup) in a saucepan. Heat on low to medium until the sugar dissolves.7 oz Cherries, ¼ cup White sugar, 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup of water with the cornstarch. Combine well and add to the saucepan.1 tbsp Cornstarch, ½ cup Water
- Continue cooking on low. The mixture will thicken and look glossy. When it's thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, it’s ready. Let it cool completely before using.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and vegetable shortening for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the cornstarch to the water and add it to the creaming mixture.½ cup Unsalted butter, ½ cup Vegetable shortening, 3 cups Powdered sugar, 2 tbsp Hot water, 1 tbsp Cornstarch, 1 tsp Vanilla, ¼ tsp Salt
- Continue to cream until the mixture is smooth again. Then, add vanilla extract and powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Once all the sugar is in, whip the buttercream for three minutes until it is light and fluffy.
- Save a few tablespoons of liquid from the cherry filling to drizzle on the frosted cupcakes later.¼ cup Juices saved from the cherry filling
- Core each cupcake in the center and add a generous teaspoon of the filling in the hole. Cut the cored piece in half and place it back on the filling to close the top like a lid.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with a star nozzle. Pipe a generous swirl on top of each cupcake. Drizzle with the saved liquid from the cherry filling and top with a fresh cherry.Fresh cherries
Notes
- Follow the recipe properly with minimum substitutions for the best results.
- Make sure the ingredients are all at room temperature.
- Use a scooper or measuring cup to distribute the batter to bake similar-sized cupcakes.
- Always preheat the oven before baking – a hot oven works best for cupcakes.
- Bake cupcakes at the right temperature and on the center rack, one tray at a time. Or bake multiple pans in a fan-assisted oven.
- Never open the oven during baking – no peeking.
- Remove cupcakes from their pan no later than 7 to 10 minutes after baking; this will prevent the cupcake liners from peeling away due to steam.
- Store cupcakes properly after baking. Place them in an airtight container at room temperature. Cupcakes dry in the fridge unless wrapped properly with plastic wrap.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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I have enjoyed everyone of your recipes that I have tried. I have one question about the frosting for these cupcakes. Can I use all butter instead of the shortening? If I can’t do that, do you have a suggestion? We do not eat hydrogenated oils.
Thank you so much Coleen. Yes, of course you can use all butter for your frosting ,and it is absolutely delicious!!