Cherry Cupcakes & Chocolate Sour Cherry Cupcakes

If it had been me in the Garden of Eden, I would have cheerfully passed up all other fruits for a cherry. Offer me anything from an August Heart to a Zweitfruhe, and the Apple of Knowledge doesn't even get a look-in.

One of my Christmas treats every year when I was a child was a bowl of cherries, which as Christmas in New Zealand is the height of summer, were stupidly expensive. Sadly I had to share the fruit with the rest of my family, but it was a foregone conclusion that I would end up eating half of them. My adoration even extends to those little sweetened balls of artificial colour, maraschino cherries (but not, I must assert, to Cherry Coke, which is an abomination to my tastebuds).

In my recent baking adventures I have, naturally, been baking cherry cupcakes. The two recipes I like the most are quite different, although both (obviously) have cherries. The first is like an abbreviated version of my favourite cake, Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cherry Cake). The second is a light, faintly-scented cake with little nuggets of sugary cherry goodness in it.

Both recipes originate in Feargal Connolly's "500 Cupcakes & Muffins" , but I've changed the recipes somewhat. They can be halved with few problems, as long as you increase the flour to make sure the batter isn't too runny. Personally I think these are both fantastic without icing of any kind except a light dusting of icing sugar, but YMMV, so I will leave you to decide for yourselves.

(and yes, the reason there are only 2 cupcakes in the photos is because I ate most of them before I remembered to take shots)

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Schwarzwalder Kirschkleinekuchen
(or, more easily remembered and with better grammar - Black Forest Cherry Cupcakes)
This is a truly decadent little cupcake. Brandied cherries are good also, but I especially like it with sour cherries, as the taste contrast with the sweet, sour and faintly bitter is deeeelicious!

225 g / 8 oz unsalted butter, softened
4 Tb Dutch processed (i.e. alkalised) cocoa powder - I use Green & Black's Organic Cocoa Powder
225 g / 8 oz caster sugar
225 g / 8 oz self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
100 g / 3.5 oz sour cherries

1. Preheat the oven 175C/350F/GM4 & place 18 paper baking cases in cupcake/muffin tins, or - as I usually do - organise 18 silicon cupcake cases.
2. Sieve together the self-raising flour, cocoa and baking powder.
3. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together until smooth.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well.
5. Fold in the flour mixture and the cherries, and stir until well combined with as few strokes as necessary.
6. Spoon the batter into the cases. I find filling them to 2/3 is best.
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
8. Remove and check. A toothpick should come out clean from the centre. If there are any crumbs, put the cupcakes back in the oven for another 3 - 5 minutes. Repeat until cupcakes are cooked.
9. Remove cases/tins from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
10. Remove the cupcakes from the cases/tins and cool on a rack.
11. Dust with icing sugar (Connolly suggests a dollop of sweetened whipped cream), or decorate with icing if you wish.

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Very Cherry Cupcakes
This second recipe is quite light, sweet and kinda girly to be honest! Sure to be a hit with your inner diva.

225 g / 8 oz unsalted butter, softened
225 g / 8 oz caster sugar
225 g / 8 oz self raising flour
50 g / 1 ¾ oz maraschino cherries, chopped in half
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
2 tb kirsch

1. Preheat the oven 175C/350F/GM4 & place 18 paper baking cases in cupcake/muffin tins, or - as I usually do - organise 18 silicon cupcake cases.
2. Combine all ingredients except the maraschino cherries together in a bowl.
3. Beat until smooth.
4. Mix in the maraschino cherries, with as few strokes as necessary.
5. Spoon the batter into the cases. I find filling them to 2/3 is best.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. Remove and check. A toothpick should come out clean from the centre. If there are any crumbs, put the cupcakes back in the oven for another 3 - 5 minutes. Repeat until cupcakes are cooked.
8. Remove cases/tins from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
9. Remove the cupcakes from the cases/tins and cool on a rack.
10. Dust with icing sugar, or decorate with icing if you wish.

Comments

[Helen]

Mmmm, cherries and chocolate, a classic combination!

[Jeanne]

LOL about your story of eating half the cherries. I remember my mom and I going grocery shopping on family holidays, buying a bag of cherries for the house and ending up eating the entire bag between us in the car on the way home because "the rest of the family wouldn't appreciate it like we can"!! Those first cupcakes sound superb - they are going on my to do list!

[Fearless Kitchen]

This looks great. My husband really likes cherries, and he's challenged me to do more baking. I'll have to try it!