Black Forest Cupcakes With a Twist

Hello Internets! I know I've been a bit flighty lately and I do apologize. I am still working on that whole work/pilates/curling/baking/blog/life balance and it is slowly getting better :)


How about some tasty cupcakes to make up for my decrease in posting? I am a firm believer that cupcakes make everything better!

These cupcakes were for a friend's birthday this weekend. This year we are all turning the big 2-7! eek!  His favourite cake is black forest cake, but his favourite frosting is cream cheese. I couldn't see any reason why the birthday boy couldn't get everything he wanted for his birthday so I made him Black Forest Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. Yum!! These turned out super tasty.

I used a new chocolate cupcake recipe (I am still on a search for the best chocolate cupcake out there) from How Sweet It Is, and then cut out the middle and filled it up with cherry pie filling. So good. I actually doubled her recipe, so if you just want 12 cupcakes please hop on over to her site for the original chocolate cupcake recipe! While you are over there, check out her other recipes. Her site is full of the most delicious things!


The filled cupcakes were topped off with a swirl of cream cheese frosting, and then a tasty maraschino cherry. What a happy birthday cupcake!

I hope you had a wonderful birthday Mike!


This makes 2 dozen black forest cupcakes. :)


Black Forest Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate milk
• 6 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting (below)
• Maraschino Cherries and sprinkles for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line your muffin pans with cupcake liners
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until smooth
4. Add the vanilla, chocolate milk (or regular milk), heavy cream, and sour cream to the sugar/egg mixture and mix well
5. Add the dry ingredients and mix well
6. Finally, add the melted butter and chocolate chips and mix until everything is well combined
7. Fill the prepared muffin pans, and bake for 15 - 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted
8. Let cool completely before filling and frosting
9. When cool, cut out a portion of each cupcake using either a paring knife or a cupcake corer
10. Fill the hole with 1 - 2 tbsp cherry pie filling
11. Top with a swirl of cream cheese frosting, and garnish with a maraschino cherry and some chocolate sprinkles
12. Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 package cream cheese (250 g), room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 cups icing sugar

1. Using an egg beater or a stand mixer, whip together the cream cheese and butter until smooth
2. Add the vanilla and mix well
3. Add the icing sugar 1 cup a a time, mixing very well after each addition
4. If you would like the frosting to be thicker, add more icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time. If it is too thick, add whipping cream 1 tbsp at a time until desired consistency is reached
5. Enjoy!