Double Chocolate Cupcakes with Real Cherry Frosting
This recipe makes 12 standard sized double chocolate cupcakes plus 1 8" pie pans worth of muffin mix for small shapes which are optional. If not making the small shapes you can make 14-16 muffins.
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 463kcal
Ingredients
Cupcakes (and small cut out muffin shapes-*optional)
- 1-8 oz. stick unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 Tbsp fine ground coffee optional
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup cocoa I usually use dutch processed cocoa
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine ground sea salt
- 1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- paper muffin liners
- olive oil spray
- *Optional- powdered sugar if making shapes atop cupcakes.
Real Cherry Frosting
- 8 oz. softened cream cheese
- 8 oz. softened butter room temperature, not melted
- 1.5 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- heaping 1/2 cup frozen cherries thawed and liquid well squeezed out
Tools and pans needed
- 1-2 standard sized cupcake pans
- food processor or hand held blender
- 12-18 paper muffin liners
*Optional if making Shapes atop Cupcakes
- 1- 8 " pie pan preferable glass, but other ok.
- Sifter for powdered sugar
- small 1/2 " cookie cutter shapes of choice (I used a heart "x" and "o" for these in recipe pictures.
Instructions
To Make Cupcakes (and Shapes if doing so)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Add all sugar, butter and instant coffee to mixing bowl and beat till well creamed.
- Add milk and vanilla, then eggs (one at a time) and mix well on low speed till combined, scraping sides as needed.
- In a separate bowl add dry ingredients: Cocoa through flour and whisk to combine.
- Slowly add cocoa and flour mixture to mixing bowl (about 1/4 cup at a time) and mix at low speed till no more flour visible and no lumps in mixture.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Add paper liners to cupcake pans and spray thin mist of oil over pan and liners.
- Line bottom of 8 " pie pan with parchment paper and spray sides with oil.
- Fill paper-lined muffin cups about 2/3 full and 8" pie pan about 1/4 inch on bottom, spreading out batter with spatula to edges if need be.
- Bake muffin pan about 13-15 mins (check at 12 mins) or till toothpick inserted comes out clean. 8 inch pan bakes 10-11 mins or till toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cupcakes cool slightly on wire racks 5-10 mins before removing from pan.
- Then let cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
To Make Frosting
- Blend or process all ingredients. (Make sure your cherries are well squeezed as mentioned above. Too much juice will make your frosting too runny.
- *Note- If your frosting is too soft from a warm climate, place the frosting in the freezer about 5 mins just to cool more for better frosting of cupcake tops.
To Decorate Cupcakes
- Use a ziplock baggie with a hole cut out of corner or an actual cake decorating kit with a wide opening tip to swirl on your frosting.
- If making small cupcake topping shapes, 1st flip out your thin cake like pie shape onto a plate. Cut out your shapes with your little cookie cutters. Dust the shapes with powdered sugar with a sifter.
- Top your cupcakes with your shapes atop the frosting, pressing them down a little to set them into the frosting.
- Present your creations and enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 351mg | Potassium: 214mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 870IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 2mg