Decadent Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes For A Crowd Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven as instructed on the cake mix box.
• Stir together the cake mix, melted butter, egg(s), as instructed on the box but DO NOT ADD WATER.
• Stir in the cherry pie filling and almond extract.
• Distribute the batter in small, paper-lined cupcake tins, trying to get a cherry in each cupcake.
• Bake as instructed on the cake mix box. The cupcakes will be moister than normal -- more like a very soft brownie.
• Melt the chocolate chips, stir and add in just enough milk to make a thick sauce when hot. Spoon some of this on each cupcake. If it hardens in the bowl before you finish, zap in the microwave to re-melt.
• Allow to cool and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease or line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.
• Stir flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Dig a well in the center and pour in buttermilk, eggs, butter, oil, and almond extract. Begin stirring, then use an electric mixer to make to a smooth, thick batter. Pour in cherry pie filling and stir until distributed.
• Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Try to distribute cherries evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 23 to 27 minutes. Let cool completely.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil and eggs; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. , Spoon batter by 1/4 cupfuls into paper-lined muffin cups. Place a rounded teaspoonful of pie filling in the center of each cupcake. Set remaining pie filling aside. , Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , Frost cupcakes; top each with one cherry from pie filling. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Refrigerate remaining pie filling for another use.

Steps:

• Bring cherries, sugar, and lemon juice to a simmer in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove 2 tablespoons of cherry juice from the pot and place in a small bowl. Stir in cornstarch until thoroughly combined. Add cornstarch mixture to the pot and simmer until thickened and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes more.
• Remove compote from heat and cool completely. Measure out 1 cup for the cupcake batter. Reserve remaining compote, about 6 tablespoons, for the frosting.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line or grease two standard 12-cup muffin tins.
• Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Beat brown sugar, butter, and white sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Pour in 1/2 of the sour cream and cooled coffee; mix until just combined.
• Continue alternating additions of the flour mixture with sour cream and coffee, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until batter is smooth. Do not overmix. Gently fold in 1 cup cherry compote. Fill each prepared muffin cup 2/3 full of batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the cupcakes spring back lightly when touched, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool in the tins for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Prepare cherry buttercream while the cupcakes are cooling. Beat butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt. Add 2 tablespoons of cherry compote and beat on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined. Repeat twice more with remaining cherry compote, beating well after each addition. Add heavy cream and beat until frosting is fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Spread or pipe frosting over the cooled cupcakes.