Black Forest Cupcakes

I give Martha's Black Forest Cupcakes --

Taste 4.7 stars (it's my blog, I can do that) :)

Appearance 5 stars

Accurate Recipe 5 stars

Difficulty Medium

Would I make it again Already Have!!

I made these for family that were over the other night for dinner. They were delicious!! I made them again, just to make sure I still liked them-- Yes, still really really good! I'll probably make them again..... just to make sure! I love that they are perfect dome tops, yummy light texture with LOTS of flavor! I have made some small variations to the original recipe.

printable version

Cupcake Ingredients:

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for tins

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus more for tins

2 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/8 teaspoon slat

1 cup sugar

1 cup dark-brown sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

12 oz cherry pie filling

Pastry Cream (recipe follows)

Chocolate Ganache Glaze (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Preheat to 350. Brush standard muffin tins with butter (mine still stuck, to I gave the batch a spray of Pam and butter); dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

2. With an electric mixer on medium- high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add brown sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in sour cream. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and mixing until just combined after each.

3. Divid batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tines halfway through, until tops are firm to the touch and tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

4. Using a serrated knife, split cupcakes in half horizontally. Arrange cherrie pie filling over cupcakes bottoms; spoon heaping Tablespoon of pastry cream evenly over cherries. Replace top halves. Spoon 2 Tablespoons glaze over tops. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

Pastry Cream Ingredients:

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

pinch of salt

2 cups milk

1 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Whisk egg yolks until smooth in a large bowl, set aside. In a medium sauce pan combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and heat over medium heat. Stirring constantly, gradually add milk in a slow, steady stream, and cook until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes.

2. Whisking constantly, slowly pour one third of milk mixture into egg yolks (remember tempering). Pour mixture into remaining milk mixture in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a full boil and is thick enough to hold its shape 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled and firm, at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days).

Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:

6 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

Directions:

1. Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside. Bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; pour mixture over chocolate. Let stand, without stirring, until chocolate begins to melt.

2. Using a flexible spatula, gently stir chocolate and cream until totally combined; begin near the center of the bowl and gradually work your way toward the edge, pulling in as much chocolate as possible, until mixture is smooth and glossy. If not using immediately, glaze can be refrigerated up to 5 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently before using.