24
Jun

Black Forest Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting

Black Forest cupcake with Whipped Cream frosting.

You may remember the great cupcake vs muffin debate we had on Facebook a few weeks ago. I asked you which recipe you'd like to see first and it was a pretty even split, but muffins won by just a hair. I posted the recipe for my Cherry Chocolate Muffins first, and now it's your moment cupcake lovers with these Black Forest Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting!

You're probably asking yourself what the difference is between a muffin and cupcake. They are both cake like baked goods that come in a small single serving wrapper right? I'd say the biggest distinction between the two is frosting or no frosting. Muffins are also generally a little more dense than a cupcake and typically less sweet (although there are SO many exceptions to that rule!).

While I was developing this recipe, I came out with a few batches that were meant to be muffins but were just too sweet and a little too fluffy to feel like a fulfilling breakfast bread. So instead of forcing them into one category or another, I just made recipes for both!

The cupcakes use coconut oil while the muffins use cacao butter, and the cupcakes have a cherry compote filling and then are topped with a sweet whipped cream. These do fall in the center a little more than the muffins, so don't be alarmed if they sink a bit after you've removed them from the oven. You'll be filling the center and covering it up with frosting anyways!

Two little treats that seem alike, but have such different flavor profiles!

And lastly, here's a funny little difference I read: “If you threw a cupcake against the wall, you would hear something of a ‘poof!' If you threw a muffin, you would hear a ‘thud!'

Shared with Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays

Black Forest Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting



AUTHOR:

SERVES: 12

Cuisine: German

Category: Desserts

PREP TIME: 25 mins

COOK TIME: 27 mins TOTAL TIME: 52 mins

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whipped cream (either coconut or raw dairy cream)

Cherry Compote Filling

  • 3/4 cup red cherries, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon bourbon (optional but makes it really good!)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  2. In a food processor, process the eggs, melted coconut oil, honey, vanilla and coconut milk until fully combined.
  3. Add the coconut flour, almond flour, cacao powder, baking soda, and salt and process again until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then pulse a few more times to make sure everything is mixed well.
  4. Add the whole cherries and pulse once or twice until they are roughly chopped. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup to 3/4 full.
  5. Bake for 12-15 minutes. These are dark so it’s hard to tell when they are done by sight, but a toothpick should come out clean and the cake should bounce back when you press your finger gently into the top.
  6. While the cupcakes are cooling, make your cherry compote by combining all of the ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer for 15 minutes until the cherries are soft and much of the liquid has evaporated. It will still be pretty thin, but as it cools it will turn into a thicker syrup.
  7. Using an apple corer or just a pairing knife, remove a quarter size piece from the top of the cupcake. Be careful not to cut too deep or you’ll cut through the bottom and the filling will seep out.
  8. Fill each cupcake with a tablespoon of the cherry filling, then pipe or spread the whipped cream over top.

*I used raw dairy cream for the photos but we’ve had them with coconut whipped cream and love them just as much. Coconut whipped cream doesn’t hold up for very long after being whipped, so try to frost the cakes no more than 30 minutes prior to serving. 



Keywords: dairy free, dessert, gluten free, paleo, German, Black Forest, cupcake