Over on Food24, the editor has set a challenge for one and all to create the most delicious, beautiful cupcakes. I was delighted when I heard this as I’m quite the Cupcake Queen amongst my friends and family.
When I was pregnant I had to stop working (I was a make-up and hair artist) and the sitting around drove me insane. I started baking cupcakes to keep myself busy and soon I started getting orders to make ‘couture’ cupcakes.  Being fresh out of the glitz and glamour of working on shoots and fashion shows, I embraced this and poured my creativity into decorating and designing simple yet beautiful cupcakes.

The flavours I came up with were interesting and sometimes strange, but I had so much fun doing it. Unfortunately, when I decided to start “The Cupcakery” the recession hit and no-one had the money to spend R8-R15 on a cupcake. And even though I couldn’t carry on with my business idea, I still baked cupcakes for friends and family. And I’m so glad I can share some of my recipes with my readers.

These Black Forest cupcakes aren’t a new idea but they sure are a favourite. Whenever I make them they last no more than 5 minutes and people are always surprised and delighted to find a whole maraschino cherry at the bottom of each cupcake. The cupcake is a simple chocolate cupcake (my favourite recipe) infused with cherry flavours and the topping is  sweetened whipped cream. Very simple but very impressive.

Makes 12

200g (7.05 ounces) caster sugar
175g (6.17 ounces) flour
50g (1.76 ounces) cocoa powder
7.5ml (0.25 fluid ounces) baking powder
2.5ml (0.08 fluid ounces) salt
1 egg
125ml (4.23 fluid ounces) milk
75ml (2.54 fluid ounces) melted butter
20ml (0.68 fluid ounces) maraschino cherry syrup (the syrup the cherries come in)
125ml (4.23 fluid ounces) hot water
12 maraschino cherries, stem removed
Topping
2 cups fresh cream
5ml (0.17 fluid ounces) vanilla extract
1/2 cup caster sugar
chocolate shavings, to decorate
Maraschino cherries, to decorate

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°c. Line a muffin-tray with cupcake cases.
• Combine all the dry ingredients together and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter and cherry syrup.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat for 2 minutes until well combined. Slowly add the hot water and mix through.
• The batter will be very runny, so don’t be alarmed.
• Pour the batter into the cupcake cases (I fill mine about 3/4 full) and place into the oven. Place a Maraschino cherry on each cupcake and push it in slightly.
• Bake the cupcakes for 15-18 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tray. Remove them from the tray and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the topping, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping back and pipe onto the cupcakes.
• Decorate with chocolate shavings and a Maraschino cherry.

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Tags: black forest cake, black forest cupcakes, Chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate cupcakes, Cupcakes, maraschino cherries