Black Forest Cupcakes | Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Fluffy chocolate cupcakes with a homemade cherry filling topped with whipped cream. All the flavors of a Black Forest cake in easy to make cupcakes. Ingredients: (Makes 12 cupcakes) -Chocolate Cherry Cake All Purpose Flour 1 cup (120 g) Cocoa Powder 6 tbsp (30 g) Baking Powder 1 tsp (2 g) Baking Soda ½ tsp (3 g) Salt ½ tsp (3 g) Sugar ¾ cup (150 g) 2 Large Eggs (100 g) Vegetable Oil ⅓ cup (75 g) Tart Cherry Juice 1 cup (240 mL) [Coffee can be substituted for tart cherry juice] -Cherry Filling Cherries (fresh or frozen) 3 cups (454 g) Granulated Sugar ⅓ cup (70 g) Cornstarch 2 tsp (3 g) Water 1 tbsp (15 mL) Almond Extract ½ tsp (2.5 mL) -Whipped Cream Frosting Heavy Whipping Cream 1 ½ cups (360 mL) Powdered Sugar ¼ cup (30 g) Vanilla Extract 1 tsp (5 mL) Almond Extract ¼ tsp (1.25 mL) -Decoration (optional) Bar of chocolate Directions: 1. For the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12 cavity cupcake pan with paper or foil baking liners. 2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add sugar and whisk to combine. 3. Add eggs, oil and tart cherry juice. Whisk until thoroughly combined. 4. Pour batter into prepared cupcake pan, filling each cavity about ⅔ full. 5. Bake 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely before filling and frosting. 6. To make the cherry filling, combine cherries and sugar in a pan and cook over medium heat until the cherries break down and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir together cornstarch and water and add to cherry filling, cook for 1 minute more then remove from heat. Stir in almond extract and cool mixture before using. 7. To make the whipped cream frosting, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large bowl. Whip on medium speed until mixture thickens. Increase speed to high and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spoon into a pipping bag fitted with a large star tip. 8. To assemble the cupcakes, using a paring knife, apple corer or spoon, make a small cavity in the center of each cupcake. Spoon or pipe cherry filling into each cavity. Pipe whipped cream frosting on top of each cupcake. Grate chocolate on top of each cupcake.