Before you start
The seventies showstopper, portioned: a dark cocoa sponge cored and filled with jammy cherries, capped with barely-sweet whipped cream and chocolate shavings. The cherry filling is just jarred or frozen cherries thickened in a pan, five minutes of work that makes the whole thing taste intentional. Kirsch optional, tradition says yes.
Everything you need
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (28 g) cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (169 g) caster sugar
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup (184 g) buttermilk
- ⅓ cup (73 g) vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups cherries, pitted (jarred or frozen)
- 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar (for the filling)
- 2 tsp cornflour (for the filling)
- 1 tbsp kirsch, optional
- 1¼ cups (290 g) heavy cream, cold
- 3 tbsp (23 g) powdered sugar
- 30 g dark chocolate, for shaving
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
-
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line a 12 hole tin. Whisk the flour, cocoa, caster sugar, baking soda and salt.
For this step
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (28 g) cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (169 g) caster sugar
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar (for the filling)
- 3 tbsp (23 g) powdered sugar
-
Whisk the egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla, pour into the dry and whisk just until smooth. Divide and bake 17 to 19 minutes. Cool completely.
For this step
- ¾ cup (184 g) buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
-
Filling: simmer the cherries with the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cornflour slaked in a splash of water, mashing slightly, 4 to 5 minutes until thick and glossy. Stir in the kirsch. Cool.
For this step
- ¾ cup (169 g) caster sugar
- 1½ cups cherries
- 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar (for the filling)
- 2 tsp cornflour (for the filling)
- 1 tbsp kirsch
- 3 tbsp (23 g) powdered sugar
-
Core each cupcake with a paring knife or apple corer, about 2 cm deep, and spoon in the cherry filling.
-
Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar to soft-firm peaks. Pipe or spoon generously over each cupcake.
For this step
- ⅓ cup (28 g) cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (169 g) caster sugar
- 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar (for the filling)
- 1¼ cups (290 g) heavy cream
- 3 tbsp (23 g) powdered sugar
-
Shave the chocolate over with a vegetable peeler and crown each with a whole cherry from the filling.
For this step
- ⅓ cup (73 g) vegetable oil
- 30 g dark chocolate
Baker's tips
- Whipped cream cupcakes are a same-day pleasure. Assemble within a few hours of serving, since cream slowly weeps into sponge overnight.
- Soft-firm peaks, not stiff. Overwhipped cream looks grainy in the swirl and turns buttery on the tongue.
Make it your own
- Stabilise the cream with 2 tablespoons of mascarpone if they must survive a day in the fridge.
- A teaspoon of the cherry syrup brushed on each cored sponge before filling deepens everything.
Storing & freezing
Fridge, eaten within 24 hours, and they don't freeze assembled. Unfilled sponges freeze for 2 months, so the smart move is freezing sponges and assembling to order.
Frequently asked
What is in a black forest cake?
Chocolate sponge, cherries, whipped cream and chocolate shavings, traditionally with kirsch. The cupcake version cores the sponge and hides the cherries inside.
How do you keep whipped cream from melting on cupcakes?
Cold cream whipped to soft-firm peaks, cold cupcakes, and refrigeration until serving. For longer holds, whip 2 tablespoons of mascarpone in as a stabiliser.
Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
More to bake
A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.