Go Back
–+ servings
A group of chocolate cherry cupcakes on a white marble table.
Print

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Rich chocolate cupcakes filled with a cherry surprise inside and topped with vanilla buttercream drizzled with cherry reduction!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 351kcal
Author John Kanell

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 160g
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup sour cream

For the Frosting:

  • 1 lb confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 cup salted butter Room temp 226g
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 tsp cream

For the Cherries:

  • 2 cups cherries halved and pitted
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

For the Cupcakes:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place cupcake papers in muffin tin
  • Mix the milk, vanilla, and sour cream in a small bowl or cup and set aside. 
  • Sift the dry ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. 
  • In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy (this will take about three minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  • Add the milk/sour cream mixture and flour mixtures in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until the ingredients are mixed together.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake papers within the tins. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back when lightly pressed. 

For the Cherries:

  • Mix cherries, sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the cherries are slightly softened.

For the Buttercream:

  • Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add cream a bit at a time until desired consistency is reached.

For the Asembly

  • Core the cupcakes. I use a cupcake corer but you can cut a small circle out with a knife too. Remove the center and keep the tops for later. 
  • Use a knife to spread some buttercream into the hollowed out cupcake. Add a cherry into the center then place cake cap on top.
  • Pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake then drizzle with the cherry reduction.
  • Top with a cherry and some of the reduction.

Video

Notes

  • Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
  • You can substitute whole milk yogurt for the sour cream if desired.
  • Add a few tablespoons of cherry liqueur to the reduction for an added depth of flavor. You can burn off the alcohol while the mixture reduces or add it off heat for a spiked treat.
  • Use an ice cream scoop to add the batter to the cupcake papers for evenly distributed batter with less mess!
  • I like to use dutch processed coca as it's less acidic and gives a bit fudgier, dark cupcake but natural processed will work too!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 49.7g | Protein: 1.9g | Fat: 5.3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6.7mg | Sodium: 304mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 19.6g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 0.1mg