Black Forest Cupcakes

I wanted to make cupcakes to celebrate the end of 2020. This year has been like a black forest of despair, so what better cake to make but Black Forest Cupcakes? They are delicious and retro and look beautiful. I also loved the cupcake idea because I could wrap them individually and deliver them socially distanced to family. It's been a log time since I could share my baking and it was a very nice thing for me to be able to share it. May 2021 bring us all joy, health and hope.

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 3/ cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons espresso powder

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup hot coffee

2 15 ounce cans dark sweet cherries in heavy syrup

2 tablespoons kirsch

24 maraschino cherries

Ganache:

1 cup heavy cream

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Whipped cream:

w cups heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 12 cup muffins tins with liners or baking spray. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and espresso powder. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sour cream, buttermilks and vanilla. Pour the dry into the wet and gently mix; add the hot coffee and beat until completely combined. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake wells. Bake in the own for 20 minutes of until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Drain the cherries and set aside. Reserve 3/4 cup of the syrup. Simmer the syrup and kirsch; reduce to 1/4 cup. Brush the syrup over each cupcake. Cut the cherries into 1/4ths. Set aside.

To make the ganache, heat the heavy cream until it simmers. Pour the cream over the chocolate n a heat proof bowl. Let it sit for 2 to 3 minutes then stir to combine. Leave it to set for 10 minutes as you make the whipped cream.

In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla and confectioner's sugar until it holds soft peaks. Fold in the reserved dark sweet cherries.

To decorate, pile some whipped cream on top of each cupcake. Drizzle the ganache on top. Finish with a cheerful, bright red maraschino cherry. Enjoy!

Comments

Raspberry Pomegranate Jam

Tis the season to be making homemade gifts! Pomegranates are in season and their juice is a festive deep ruby red color. I knew I had to make them into a jam to give away. Straight pomegranate flavor is a little tart for me; I added raspberries for the texture of their seeds and their sweetness. This is a very simple recipe to make and will yield 6 to 7 8 ounces jars of jam or 12 to 14 4 ounce jars, if you like to give away sample sizes during the holidays. Enjoy! Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups pomegranate juice 1 cup mashed raspberries 7 cups sugar 1 tablespoon butter 1 1/75 ounce package Sure Jell Method: Sterilize your jars and lids. Set aside. In a heavy bottomed large stock pot, add the pomegranate juice, raspberries and butter. Mix well. Add in the sugar. Bring to a full rolling boil then stir in the Sure Jell. Allow to boil hard for 1 minutes. Remove from the heat and skim off any foam. Ladle into the sterile jars, twist on the lids and pr

Peek-a-boo Squares

My grandma, Mimi, taught me this recipe. I used to make this with her and my mother as a child. It is my very favorite dessert. It is incredibly easy to make, and even easier to eat. My favorite part of making this as a child was dusting every bar generously with snowy white powdered sugar. My favorite version of this dessert uses canned blueberry pie filling; I vastly prefer Libby brand over the store brand. You can make blueberry pie filling from scratch with sugar, cornstarch, bleberries, etc. but using the canned stuff is easy in a pinch and is much for nostalgic for me. Plus, I don’t notice a vast improvement over my homemade blueberry pie filling and the Libby brand; it just takes me longer to put this dessert together. I have been known to whip up a pan of these Friday night and have them disappear by Saturday afternoon. Be warned, these things are addictive! Ingredients: 3 cups of all-purpose flour 2 cups of granulated sugar 4 eggs 2 sticks of

Samosas with Yogurt Sauce

I love exploring many kinds of cuisine in my kitchen because I can control the spice level, and in the case of this recipe, the use of cilantro. Cilantro lovers out there- sub it info the parsley here. I have the gene that makes cilantro taste like soap, which limits my ability to enjoy some dishes in restaurants, but is easily rectified in my own kitchen. I hope you enjoy! Ingredients: 3 russet potatoes 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped 2 teaspoons curry powder 5 ounces peas Six 8 inch flour tortillas 4 ounces Greek yogurt Oil, salt, pepper, vinegar 4 tablespoons butter Method: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. Scrub potatoes and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces. Place in a large saucepan with a generous pinch of salt and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Cover and bring to a boil over high; uncover and cook until tenderDrain potatoes and transfer to a bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in reserved saucepan over medium. Add chopped garlic and al

Watership Down Kitchen

Search This Blog