Black Forest Cupcakes

This recipe is a variation of the Black Forest Cake from the Romantik Hotel Spielweg in Münstertal, Germany.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can  pitted sweet cherries in syrup
• 4  ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 1⁄3 cups sugar
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 3⁄4 cup butter
• 1⁄4 cup cherry brandy or 1⁄4 cup  kirschwasser
• 1  tablespoon cherry brandy or 1  tablespoon  kirschwasser
• 1  egg
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 2  tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1  cup heavy cream, whipped
•  dark chocolate, shaved into curls with a vegetable peeler
•  fresh cherries, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drain the cherries, reserving the cherries and syrup separately. Combine the cherry syrup, chopped chocolate, sugar, butter, and the 1/4 cup brandy in a saucepan.
2. Over low heat, stir until the chocolate has melted. Pour into a large mixing bowl and whisk in the egg. Sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder into a small bowl, then fold gently into the chocolate mixture.
3. Fit 12 cups of a muffin tin with paper liners and spray with non-stick oil. Pour the batter evenly into each cup. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cupcakes are firm to the touch. Let cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Mix the remaining 1 tablespoon brandy with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and stir into the whipped cream. Cut a quarter-size hole into the top of each cupcake and fill with canned cherries, Frost with the whipped cream and top with shaved chocolate, and a fresh cherry.