Blackhawk Stanley Cup Cakes

  

I was late to get on the Blackhawks' bandwagon, probably late last year.  If you live in the Chicago area, or any place that has web access,  you could not help but know about the Blackhawks quest for the Stanley Cup.  The team was playing great and they have such a young, talented team.  Ultimately, the Blackhawks were able to win the Stanley Cup, and then pandemonium broke loose. I started thinking about Blackhawk Stanley Cup cakes last Thusrday, June 10th., checking out the web for recipes.  I wanted a red. white, and black, or chocolate cupcake.  I ultimately modified Black Forest Cupcakes on cupcake project.  On Friday June. 11th, the day of the big Blackhawk rally in downtown Chicago, I baked the Stanley Cup cakes as I watched the 4 hour extravaganza on TV, a fitting tribute to the Blackhawks I thought.
  The cake recipe is the same, but I didn't put liqueur in the cherry filling, and I used Vanilla Butter cream frosting instead of whipped cream frosting. I had to make these cupcakes ahead of time because I was traveling with them.

Blackhawk Stanley Cup Cakes
For the cake:

Makes around 20 cupcakes

• 1 2/3 C all-purpose flour
• 2/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 1/2 C butter
• 1 1/2 C white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 C buttermilk

1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs and extract.
4. Beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until combined.
5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. ( I used a 2" ice cream scoop).
6. Bake at 350 F for twenty minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when touched.

Cherry Filling
1 lb. fresh cherries, washed, pitted and de-stemmed. I used fresh sweet, dark cherries.
2 tbsp. sugar
Cherry liqueur or Kirschwasser ( I didn't add this).

To make the filling, add fresh pitted cherries to a bowl.  Mash with wooden spoon or potato masher
until the cherries are no longer intact.  Mix in sugar and toss to coat fruit.

To fill the cupcakes, use a paring knife to cut a hole out of the top of each cupcake and place two cherries and a few teaspoons of the juice into each hole. Then, replace the tops.
 I frosted the cupcakes with Vanilla Butter Cream frosting.

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting

8Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
4 C. confectioners sugar
1/4 C. milk, more or less
1 Tsp. vanilla extract

1. Beat butter on high for about 1 minute.
2. Add 1 c. of sugar and beat until just incorporated.
3. Add 1/2 of the milk and the remainder of the sugar and beat until incorporated.
4. Continue to add milk until you get the consistency you want.
5. Garnish with a whole, stemmed cherry and red or chocolate sprinkles.

 This is what your cupcake will look like if you put in on the counter for 2 sec. and your Cockappo, Bailey, took
a bite out of it. She is so quick.