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Chocolate cherry cupcakes on a table.
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5 from 12 votes

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

These chocolate cherry cupcakes are decadent, chocolaty and filled with a sweet cherry filling. My moist, light and fluffy chocolate cupcakes recipe is the base for these cupcakes. While the filling is a sweet cherry filling, topped with a bakery-style vanilla frosting. A drizzle of sweet cherry juice and a fresh cherry makes for a perfect presentation.
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Keyword Cherry, Cherry Cupcakes, Cupcakes, decadent, summer
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 27 minutes
Servings 20 cupcakes
Calories 425kcal
Author Veena Azmanov
Cost $20

Equipment

Ingredients

Cupcake - Dry ingredients

Cupcake - Wet ingredients

  • ⅔ cup Vegetable oil
  • ⅓ cup Boiling water
  • ½ cup Cup yogurt
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract

Cherry filling

  • 7 oz Cherries
  • ¼ cup White sugar
  • 1 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice
  • ½ cup Water

Frosting

  • 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

Garnish

  • 20 Fresh cherries
  • ¼ cup Juices saved from the cherry filling
Metric - US customary

Instructions

Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 160 C / 320 F.
  • Line muffin pan with cupcake liners or use baking cups.
  • Combine wet ingredients - Combine the eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and vegetable oil.
  • Use a whisk to make sure the eggs are well incorporated and there are no lumps.
  • Combine 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 to dry - Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.
  • Use a whisk to combine the two slowly so you have a smooth, not lumpy batter.
  • Lastly, add the hot water.
  • Scoop batter into cupcake liners.
  • Drop a pitted fresh cherry in the center of each batter.
  • Bake on the center rack at 160 C / 320 F for about 20 to 25 minutes (mine took 20 mins).
  • Cook cupcakes completely before frosting.

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 water (¼ cuwith the cornstarch. And mix well.
  • Add the cornstarch mixture to the cherries mixture.
  • 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 – cooling will thicken the filling some more.

Frosting

  • Cream butter and shortening for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  • Add cornstarch to the hot water and add it to the creaming mixture.
  • Continue to cream until it’s a smooth mixture again.
  • Add vanilla and combine well.
  • Finally, start adding the powdered sugar one cup at a time.
  • Once all the sugar is in – whip the buttercream for a good three minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Place in a piping bag with a star nozzle.

Assemble

  • Save some of the juices in the cherry filling to drizzle on the frosting later.
  • Core each cupcake to add the filling.
  • You can use a cupcake corer or a knife to cut a small circle on the top of the cupcake. Remove the center and save the tops for later.
  • Place a heaping tablespoon of cherry filling in each cupcake and place the top back on.
  • Pipe a buttercream swirl on each cupcake.
  • Drizzle some of the save cherry filling juices on the frosting.
  • Top each cupcake with a fresh cherry.

Storage

  • The cake will stay fresh for up to four days at cool room temperature, longer if kept in the fridge.
  • It can be frozen for a month or more.

Notes

 

12 tips for baking perfect cupcakes every single time

  1. Follow the recipe properly with minimum substitutions.
  2. Always use good quality ingredients.
  3. Make sure the ingredients are all at room temperature.
  4. Never over-mix the batter.
  5. Use a scoop for baking similar size cupcakes.
  6. Always preheat the oven before baking - a hot oven works best for cupcakes.
  7. Bake cupcakes at the right temperature.
  8. Always bake cupcakes on the center rack one tray at a time.
  9. Never open the oven during baking - no peeking.
  10. Remove cupcakes from their pan no later than 7 to 10 minutes after baking.
  11. 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.
  12. Simple syrup the cupcakes if you don't plan to eat them on the same day.

Nutrition

Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 108mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 335IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1.3mg