These cupcakes are perfect for you if you enjoy chocolate and cherries! To get the most cherry flavor in the cupcakes and icing, start by quickly creating a cherry compote. Keep in mind when creating the cherry buttercream recipe that there will be plenty left over to lavishly frost the cupcakes!
| Prep Time: | 40 mins |
| Cook Time: | 30 mins |
| Additional Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 40 mins |
| Servings: | 24 |
| Yield: | 24 cupcakes |
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups frozen tart cherries, pitted
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ cup strongly brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, or as needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Bring cherries, sugar, and lemon juice to a simmer in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove 2 tablespoons of cherry juice from the pot and place in a small bowl. Stir in cornstarch until thoroughly combined. Add cornstarch mixture to the pot and simmer until thickened and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes more.
- Remove compote from heat and cool completely. Measure out 1 cup for the cupcake batter. Reserve remaining compote, about 6 tablespoons, for the frosting.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line or grease two standard 12-cup muffin tins.
- Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat brown sugar, butter, and white sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour in 1/2 of the sour cream and cooled coffee; mix until just combined.
- Continue alternating additions of the flour mixture with sour cream and coffee, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until batter is smooth. Do not overmix. Gently fold in 1 cup cherry compote. Fill each prepared muffin cup 2/3 full of batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in the tins for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare cherry buttercream while the cupcakes are cooling. Beat butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt. Add 2 tablespoons of cherry compote and beat on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined. Repeat twice more with remaining cherry compote, beating well after each addition. Add heavy cream and beat until frosting is fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Spread or pipe frosting over the cooled cupcakes.
- You can use either fresh or frozen sweet or tart cherries in this–they’ll all work just fine.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 338 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 51 g |
| Cholesterol | 52 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Saturated Fat | 9 g |
| Sodium | 215 mg |
| Sugars | 39 g |
| Fat | 15 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |