I have a confession… I’m not that into cherries.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I do like cherries, but I’m not that into cherry desserts. There’s just something about them… I don’t know, maybe cloyingly sweet?? Anyway, if you’re like me and not into cherry pie or crumble or whatever, you still may want to give this recipe a try because it’s not just cherry- there’s chocolate and vanilla too. You know, kinda like a sundae.

Even if you’re still not convinced, this is a good base chocolate cupcake recipe that you can pair with any kind of frosting you want. If you do love cherry desserts, you can up the cherry factor by drizzling some of the cherry goo on top of your finished cakes. No sprinkles? Shave some chocolate bar on top instead. Either way, give these a try and see what you think!

INGREDIENTS:

Cupcakes

• 184 g ( about 1 1/2 C ) all-purpose flour, sifted

• 25 g (3 T) Dutch-processed cocoa, sifted (I used 15 g Dutch-processed and 10 g black cocoa, but feel free to just use the Dutch)

• 3/4 tsp. baking soda

• 1/4 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. kosher salt (I use Diamond, half the amount if using Morton)

• 85 g ( 7 T ) superfine or granulated sugar (organic, vegan-friendly)

• 65 g ( 5 T ) light brown sugar (organic, vegan-friendly)

• 1/2 C neutral oil (I use grapeseed)

• 1 C plant milk (room temp, I used extra creamy oat)

• 1 T vinegar ( white )

• 1 T vanilla extract (pure)

• chocolate sprinkles, vegan (for tops of cupcakes- optional)

Cherry Filling

• 200 g (1 1/4 C) cherries, pitted and halved

• 2 T sugar, granulated

• 1/2 C water (can “fancy it up” with bourbon or orange-flavored triple sec liqueur, or a cherry liqueur)

• 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• pinch of salt

Vanilla Buttercream

• 200 g ( 1 C, 2 sticks ) vegan butter, unsalted and room temp (softened, but not super soft)

• 400- 450 g ( 2 - 2 1/4 C ) icing/ powder sugar

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2- 4 T heavy cream, vegan (can sub with plant milk or canned coconut milk)- Use less cream/milk if it’s a really hot day

• pinch salt (skip if using salted butter)

You will need:

• Cupcake tin(s)

• Cupcake liners

• Scale (if using- you should! )

• Large bowl or stand mixer bowl (for cupcakes and buttercream)

• Sieve or sifter

• Whisk + spatula

• Small sauce pot (cherry filling)

• Cooling rack

• Spoons or ice cream scooper

• Paring knife

  
  Makes 12 cupcakes
  

Prep:

• Wash, dry, de-stem, halve, and pit cherries (see notes)

• Bring milk to room temp (can zap in the microwave for 15-20 seconds)

• Add vinegar to room temp milk (makes vegan buttermilk)- let sit for 5-10 minutes

• Line cupcake tins

Notes:

• Difficulty- since this is an oil-based cupcake, no heavy equipment is needed (yay!)… until you get to the buttercream (boo!) Just a bowl and a spatula or spoon will do for the cupcake part, though. The hardest part of the recipe is the cherry prep (see below).

• Temperature- bring your cold ingredient to room temp for best results.

• Sifting- it is highly recommended to sift the flour and cocoa powder for the best outcome, but you don’t have to do it if you truly don’t want to.

• Cocoa powder- in this recipe, I have noted Dutch-processed, not regular cocoa powder. Regular cocoa powder may work as a substitute because there is vinegar in the recipe (regular cocoa powder works well with acidic ingredients), but please note I did not test the recipe using it. I did use a combo of Dutch and Black cocoa powders for a richer flavor. Black cocoa powder gives an Oreo flavor but is harder to find in the stores.

• Sugar- make sure you buy clearly marked vegan sugar or organic sugar (which is also vegan). I like to put mine into a high-powered blender to make it superfine and siftable. This is not necessary, but I like to do it because it helps to make a lighter crumb and finished product.

• Cherries- the most labor-intensive part of the recipe is prepping the cherries. De-stem the cherries, then use a sharp paring knife to cut the cherry around the pit- twist the two cherry halves (peach pit technique) to open, then remove the pit. Alternatively, you can use a sturdy chopstick to push the pit out or just twist the cherries with your fingers to open and remove the pit- this is a good method when the cherries don’t have to look perfect (as in this case).

• Salt- if you use table salt or Morton salt, reduce the salt measurement by half.

• Butter- if using salted butter for the buttercream, leave out the salt in buttercream ingredients.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F

1. Sift flour and cocoa powder together into a large bowl. Add salt, baking soda, and powder as well. If you are using superfine sugar (see notes), go ahead and sift that into the bowl as well- if not, just add the granulated sugar along with the brown sugar and give the ingredients a good mix with a whisk or a spoon.

2. Make sure that you have added the vinegar to your milk and let it set for 5-10 minutes before continuing.

3. Add oil, vanilla, and milk/vinegar to the dry ingredients and mix just until the batter forms and there are no dry spots. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure ingredient is fully incorporated. Give one final mix- about 20 seconds.

4. With an ice cream scoop or spoons, fill tins 3/4 of the way with batter.

5. Place cupcakes on the middle rack and bake 16-18 minutes (depending on your oven and your pan color ) or until tops spring back when pressed in the middle and a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from tin and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

   
   

   WHILE CUPCAKES ARE COOLING, MAKE THE CHERRY FILLING AND BUTTERCREAM

Cherry Filling:

1. In a small saucepot, add prepared cherries, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, water, and lemon juice. Set to medium-high heat and let the mixture come to a low bubble, then reduce heat down to low/ medium-low and let simmer.

2. Use the back of a spoon or fork to press down on the cherries as they cook so that they break down to make the sauce- I like to leave some bigger pieces for the filling as well, but it’s up to you.

3. After 7-10 minutes, the cherries should have reduced a bit and thickened. Remove the filling from the heat and place in a small bowl to cool.

   When the cupcakes and filling are completely cooled:

4. Use an apple corer, a large piping bag tip, or a paring knife to cut the center out of each cupcake- set aside and keep. Make sure not to cut to close to the bottom- if you do, the filling will not stay contained within the cupcake .

5. Spoon the cooled cherry filling inside then pop the cupcake pieces back on top to cover the cherry filling- just press lightly down back into the cupcake.

Buttercream:

1. Place the room temp butter in your bowl and mix it on medium-high speed with a hand or a stand mixer (with a paddle attachment) for 2-3 minutes or until the butter has softened and is smooth.

2. Add in half of the icing sugar and mix at the lowest speed until the sugar incorporates into the butter. Add in the other half and repeat.

3. Once all the sugar has mixed into the butter, increase the mixer to medium/ medium-high speed for another 2 to 3 minutes or the buttercream starts to soften.

4. Scrape down the sides (and bottom ) of the bowl to catch any clumps of sugar or butter that might not have mixed in.

5. Add in the vanilla and the cream (or milk) and continue to mix for another minute or two- start on the lighter side with the cream/milk so that your buttercream doesn’t become too loose and runny.

6. Dollop or pipe the buttercream on top of the cupcakes, then sprinkle tops with sprinkles (if using) and finish with a fresh cherry.

7. Enjoy!

Store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container and store them on the counter or refrigerator for up to two days. You can also freeze cupcakes in an air-tight container for up to a month.

Give these cupcakes a try! Hope you love them.

Please like, share, and comment!

Thanks for spending some time.

xx Debbie xx