BLACK FOREST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

It was my sister in laws birthday in March and I was tasked with making a dessert. It’s not a task at all. The biggest task for me is sticking to one – so I didn’t. I made those delectable soft and crunchy Cinnamon Caramel Crumble Bars and these gorgeous little Black Forest Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Ingredients
FOR THE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

• 130  g  (1 cup / 4.5oz) plain (all purp) flour
• 1/2  cup  (40g / 1.4oz) dutch processed cocoa (or plain unsweetened)
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  baking soda (bicarb)
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 113  g  (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2  cup  (100g / 3.5oz) caster sugar
• 1/2  cup  (100g / 3.5oz) dark brown sugar, packed
• 2  eggs, room temp
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla extract
• 3/4  cup  buttermilk, room temp

FOR THE CHERRY JAM

• 3 cups frozen cherries
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice - (notes)

FOR THE CREAMY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup caster (superfine) sugar
• 2 tablespoons plain (all purp) flour - (notes)
• 115 g (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 250 g cream cheese, softened

TO FINISH

• 100 g dark (50%) chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup cream
• 12 fresh cherries - (notes)

Instructions
FOR THE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

1. Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F / 160C fan forced. Line your muffin tins with paper cases.
2. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well to combine.
3. In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the melted butter and both sugars until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl each time and beating well after each. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
4. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar. Stir through gently until just combined. Now add half of the buttermilk, Mix gently again. Continue like this until all the flour and buttermilk is combined... just. It is important not to overmix or be too heavy-handed otherwise your cupcakes will turn out dense and tough.
5. For full instructions : www.sugarsaltmagic.com

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