Black Forest Cupcakes aka Blackhawk Stanley Cupcakes

"Life is just a bowl of cherries" or is it?  This morning my heart is breaking again and there are tears on my keybooard for Monet Moutrie @ Anecdotes and Apples and her family.  Her parent's home, the home that Monet grew up in,  is in imminent danger of burning due to the Colorado fires. Please keep Monet and her family in your thoughts and prayers today. Be thankful for what you have today, because you never know, when it could be taken away from you in a flash.

I had made these cupcakes before when my blog was in it's infancy.  In fact there were no comments and pre-Foodbuzz.  I made these cupcakes to commemorate the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup.  That's why I called them Blackhawk Stanley Cupcakes. They were really a take off on Black Forest Cupcakes from Stef@Cupcake Project

 Yea! It is now cherry season, so I thought that I would redo the recipe.  Also, I got a cupcake corer and lovely cupcake liners from a friend, and have wanting to make these for awhile, but was so busy with the Relay for Life. Thank you Jessica.  Well now the Relay is over, and time to make the beauties.

 Here is the cupcake corer. It works really well, and much faster than with the paring knife.

See how nice the cupcakes look with chopped cherry filling.

These chocolate cupcakes are filled to the rim with chopped, pitted, dark sweet cherries, topped with Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting.  You could brush the tops of the cupcakes with Kirsch before frosting, but I didn't have any. You could also make a Whipped Cream Frosting, if serving right away, but I wasn't serving these right away, so I just made my favorite Vanilla Butter Cream.  Any way you frost these cupcakes, they are divine, sweet cherry filling and chocolate cupcakes, topped with creamy frosting.  Be thankful that you are able to make these cupcakes in your kitchen, today.

I am also grateful from  Choc ChipUru@Go Bake Yourself gave the Versatile Blogger Award! thank you Uru, and I am truly honored.

From Choc Chip Uru@@Go Bake Yourself

 If you don't know Choc Chip Uru, go visit her wonderful blog, and you won't believe that she is a only 16 yr. old blogging with such self assurance and great writing with great pictures. I know that I learn a lot from her.

Black Forest Cupcakes  Inspired by Cupcake Project  Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
2c.  flour
2c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter (1 stick room temp)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Measure all ingredients, except eggs and in mixing bowl.
2. Mix on low speed just until incorporated.
3. Beat on high for 2 minutes.
4. Add eggs; beat on  high again for 2 minutes.

Measure out into cupcake pan with liners, using a 2" ice cream scoop for filling.  Bake for about 15-20 min. until toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool in pan slightly and then transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cherry Filling

1/2 lb, more or less, of Dark Sweet Cherries, pitted and chopped

On cooled cupcakes using cupcake corer, or the paring knife, make a hole in the middle of the cupcake, lift out core, and fill with chopped cherries. Frost with desired frosting.

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting.

1 stick butter, room temperature
4 c. confectioner's sugar
1/4 c. milk, more or less

1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy
2. Add and 1c sugar to butter mixture and beat until incorporated
3. Add half of the milk and remainder of sugar and beat until incorporated.
4. Continue to add milk until you get desired consistency

I linked up this recipe to Brandie's   Patriotic Potluck {4th of July edition of Weekend Potluck)
Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!