American Black Forest Cupcakes with Morello Cherry filling and Whipped Creamy Buttercream

Oh man, these really do make me sing!!!! Just gorgeously amazingly delightful!!!! Creamy buttercream with dark, moist chocolate cake and tart but sweet Cherry filling....my mouth is watering just telling you about these Cupcakes.
People love these because they are sweet and decadent, but they have that break in the middle with the Cherry Filling. I would also serve these at a dinner party as a desert and grate dark chocolate over the top....awwwww total indulgence.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Yeilds 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup Dutch Cocoa
2 eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoon cooking oil (I used salad and cooking oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 dark chocolate drops or buttons

Preheat oven to 150° Fan bake. (See "The Oven" tab on my blog before starting your oven).
Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder and set aside.
Add together eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, warm water and chocolate drops and mix until smooth.
Put the dry ingredients on your mixer and slowly add the wet ingredients until just combined.

Divide the mixture between the cupcake papers, but ONLY fill half way as these rise considerably.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Test with a baking skewer and if the skewer comes out clean then the cupcakes are ready. Once out of the oven remove to wire racks immediately. Once cooled cut out a crater of the cupcake ready for the Morello Cherry Filling.
Source: Devonport Chocolates.


Morello Cherry Filling

Ingredients:
680g jar of Morello Cherries (I used the brand Delmaine Pitted Cherries)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons cornflour

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and bring gently to the boil for 2 minutes. Then bring off the heat and let cool. Once cooled add a heaped teaspoon into the cupcake craters.

Creamy Dreamy Whipped Buttercream

Ingredients:
215g butter
700g approximately icing sugar
2 tablespoons boiling water
1/2 cup thickened cream
2 tsp vanilla extract

Cream butter and icing sugar until combined.

Then add the boiling water and vanilla extract. Then add the thickened cream and beat until creamy and dreamy. You may need more or less icing sugar, until you get it to the consistency you want. Then pipe onto cupcakes.

Happy baking xxx