CHERRY CUPCAKESSS

Black Cherry Surprise Cupcakes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup self-rising flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1.5 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 egg

1/4 cup and 1 tsp Kirschwasser (cherry flavored brandy)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup 2% Milk

2 cups fresh black cherries (frozen or maraschino can be substituted)

1 cup whipping cream (recipe to follow)

1/2 cup chocolate liqueuer

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

*

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350

2. In a bowl mix the 2 cups cherries and the 1/2 of Kirsch together and set in refrigerator

3. In a bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt

4. With an electric mixer beat sugar, brown sugar and butter until well combined

5. Add eggs, vanilla and 1 tsp Kirsch then mix

6. Alternately beat in milk and flour mixture making two additions of flour and one of buttermilk

7. With a spoon combine the chocolate chips

8. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 of the way full

9. Bake for 18 minutes

10. While cupcake are baking make your whipping cream

*

Whipping Cream Recipe

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup fine sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Add the cream, and whip quickly with a wire whisk until the cream is slightly thickened. Now add the sugar and any flavorings. Continue to whip until cream forms soft peaks.

11. Remove cherries from refrigerator and drain them, reserving the juice then roughly chop them up and combine with the whipping cream, refrigerate until needed

12. Once cupcakes are done baking immediately poke holes in the tops with a toothpick and brush the chocolate liqueur over the tops

13. Cool cupcakes in baking pan for 10 minutes then remove and cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack

14. When cooled with a small spoon scoop out a hole in the top of the cupcakes

15. Fill the whole with the cherry/whipped cream mixture

16. Top with cherry buttercream

*

Cherry Buttercream Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 tblsp vegetable shortening

5 cups powdered sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

10 tsp reserved cherry juice

Mix butter and vegetable shortening together until creamy. Add in powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix the vanilla and cherry juice in and whip on high until light and fluffy.

CwaC's Banana Split Cupcakes

with Chocolate Dipped Cherry Cream Up Top
With cherry as our inspired ingredient, I anxiously journeyed to our local farmers market for a bag of fresh cherries. To my dismay, cherries do not stay in Colorado markets for the late August season, thus my initial cupcake plans were dashed and I was left to conjure a recipe using {gasp} those white-trash cherry knock-off's we call maraschino's. Feeling certain I could transform the bleached-then-over-dyed bobbins with a bit of creativity, I turned to my old school farm girl memories. Those years taught me learned that banana splits are good enough fare for even the cheekiest shotgun weddings, and chocolate-covered cherries are the only box o' candy good enough to gift my daddy for Christmas. All sauciness aside, the bright red fruits rose to the occasion when combined with a swirled banana cupcake, then adorned with milk and dark chocolate topping. One bite and you'll be begging for a ride into the town ice-cream shoppe on Grandpa's tractor. Small town cherries, unite!
*
In a large bowl, combine:
2 sticks of butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 very ripe banana
1 tsp. banana flavoring
Cream until very well mixed, then add:
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. milk
Place 2 cups of batter into a smaller bowl.
*
In one bowl, add:*************************** In other bowl add:
1/3 c. Hershey's Special dark cocoa powder ****************1 1/3 c. flour 3/4 c. white flour***************************************1 tsp. vanilla
*
Beat each bowl just until mixed, then lightly fold chocolate batter into vanilla batter to create marbled effect. Spoon into prepared cupcake liners. Bake 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

While cupcakes are cooking, prepare cherry cream topping by combining:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. finely chopped maraschino cherries
1/4 tsp. cherry extract
8 oz. Cool Whip
1/2 c. sugar
Refrigerate until ready to assemble cupcakes.
*
Once cupcakes are cooked and cooled, assemble them by scooping a hefty amount of cherry cream atop each one, then dipping them in the following chocolate topping:
1/2 c. milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. butter + additional, if needed
To prepare topping, place all ingredients in a medium plastic bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir. Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir, repeating process JUST until chocolate is melted. It should not be very warm to the touch. (Following this step will allow your topping to maintain a shiny sheen, rather than a blotchy, overcooked finish. Even cupcakes don't like blotchy.) Add additional butter by the tablespoon, if needed, until chocolate mixture will run freely if tilted off a spoon. Once you've got the mixture just.right, dip cherry cream topped cupcakes in the chocolate mixture, then allow them to cool at room temperature until chocolate topping is firmed. Cover well and store in fridge overnight, if needed.