A recent trip to the dollar store ended up in me buying Valentine's Day decorations for my desk and got me all psyched for Valentine's day. So I decided to make a Valentine's Day treat. And that failed. So I decided to make another one.
I don't know why the best inspiration always hits me at work. Maybe it's because I'd rather be baking cupcakes than working? Anyway, I was at work when it hit me: cherry cordial cupcakes! Who doesn't love those little chocolate covered cherries? And you always see them right around Valentine's Day. So that's what I would do.
Cherry Cordial Cupcakes
Yield: 20 cupcakes
1 recipe Dark Chocolate Cupcakes
1/2 recipe Cherry Filling
1 recipe Chocolate Cherry Frosting
1 recipe Cherry Buttercream
Maraschino cherries, to decorate.
Directions
Bake and cool Dark chocolate cupcakes according to the recipe. When cooled, core the cupcakes using either a cupcake corer or a small, sharp knife. Fill the cupcakes with Cherry Filling (about 1 cherry and a small amount of syrup). Frost with either Chocolate Cherry Frosting and Cherry Buttercream. Top with maraschino cherries and serve.
Recipe by Kim
Dark Chocolate Cupcakes {Printable Version}
Yield: 20 cupcakes
Ingredients
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
2 cups flour
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions
Melt the chocolate and set it aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until well combined. Fold in the melted chocolate, making sure it is completely incorporated.
Using a muffin tin lined with paper liners, fill about ¾ of the way with batter (about 2 tbsp.). Bake for 15 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool on wire racks.
Recipe by Kim
Cherry Filling {Printable Version}
Ingredients
1 can pitted sweet cherries in heavy syrup
¼ cup sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
Directions
Drain the syrup from the canned cherries into a small saucepan. Reserve the cherries. To the syrup add the sugar and cornstarch. Mix together until smooth. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the syrup thickens and reaches a jelly-like consistency, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and mix in the cherries. Once the cherries are completely coated with the thickened syrup, remove from heat and let cool completely before use.
*If using for Cherry Cordial Cupcakes, add one cherry and a small amount of the thickened syrup to each cored cupcake. Cherry Cordial Cupcakes use about half of this recipe.
Recipe by Kim
Chocolate Cherry Frosting {Printable Version}
Ingredients
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
½ cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp. maraschino cherry juice
3 tbsp. milk
Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a mixing bowl with electric beaters, beat the butter. Gradually add the cocoa powder and the powdered sugar, alternating with the cherry juice and milk. Whip on high until light and fluffy.
Recipe adapted from Hershey’s Homemade
Cherry Buttercream {Printable Version}
Ingredients
¾ cup (1 and ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 – 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp. maraschino cherry juice
Chocolate cake crumbs (optional)
Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a mixing bowl with electric beaters, beat the butter at medium speed. Gradually add in the first cup of sugar. Add the cherry juice and continue to beat until well combined. Add the second cup of sugar and beat until fully incorporate. If the frosting is too soft, add up to ½ cup more of sugar, ¼ cup at a time. Add the cake crumbs, if using, and whip on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Recipe by Kim
