Black Forest cupcakes recipe

Black Forest cupcakes recipe

A very manageable version of the magnificent Black Forest gateaux you find in cake shops in Germany – chocolate, cream and cherries all together in cake form. You could substitute lightly whipped double cream for the mascarpone if you wish. Sour cherries will give you that classic flavour in the topping.

Tip: As you’ll have to eat the iced cakes the day you assemble them, you can make the cakes in advance and keep them uniced in an airtight container in a cool room for 2–3 days. Keep the mascarpone and cherry mix in the fridge (it will become more pink) and ice as you go.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes
  • 115 g softened unsalted butter
  • 115 g caster (superfine) sugar (golden if preferred)
  • 2 medium free-range eggs
  • 90 g self-raising flour
  • 25 g cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 40 ml milk
  • 4.1 oz softened unsalted butter
  • 4.1 oz caster (superfine) sugar (golden if preferred)
  • 2 medium free-range eggs
  • 3.2 oz self-raising flour
  • 0.9 oz cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1.4 fl oz milk
  • 4.1 oz softened unsalted butter
  • 4.1 oz caster (superfine) sugar (golden if preferred)
  • 2 medium free-range eggs
  • 3.2 oz self-raising flour
  • 0.9 oz cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.2 cup milk
For the icing
  • 100 g defrosted frozen or jarred pitted morello cherries (sour cherries are best)
  • 2 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
  • 100 g mascarpone, beaten
  • 12 fresh cherries, to decorate (optional)
  • 3.5 oz defrosted frozen or jarred pitted morello cherries (sour cherries are best)
  • 2 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
  • 3.5 oz mascarpone, beaten
  • 12 fresh cherries, to decorate (optional)
  • 3.5 oz defrosted frozen or jarred pitted morello cherries (sour cherries are best)
  • 2 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
  • 3.5 oz mascarpone, beaten
  • 12 fresh cherries, to decorate (optional)

Details

  • Cuisine: German
  • Recipe Type: Cake
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Preparation Time: 10 mins
  • Cooking Time: 15 mins
  • Serves: 12

Step-by-step

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
  2. Whisk the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
  3. Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder along with the milk, taking care not to overmix.
  4. Divide the batter equally between 12 paper cases in a cupcake or muffin tin.
  5. Transfer the cakes to the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave the cupcakes in the tin for 5 minutes, then gently lift them out on to a wire rack (a fork is helpful for this) and leave to cool completely.
  6. For the icing, halve the cherries and toss with the caster sugar.
  7. Stir the cherries through the beaten mascarpone very gently – you want to retain a pink and white swirl of colour rather than making a pink icing (though this is not the end of the world).
  8. Place a heaped teaspoon of the mascarpone and cherry mix on each cake, top with a fresh cherry and serve immediately.

This recipe is from The Sweet Roasting Tin (One Tin Cakes, Cookies & Bakes) by Rukmini Iyer (Square Peg), 2 September 2021, £18.99 HB. Photography by David Loftus.

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Mary Berry's vanilla cupcakes with swirly icing

Vegan chocolate orange cupcakes

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