I had some leftover cherry pie filling from making this cherry pie a few days ago, so naturally I had to use it to make these classic Black Forest cupcakes! Black Forest cake is a decadent and delicious German dessert comprised of chocolate cake, cherry filling with kirsch, and whipped cream and it's even better in cupcake form! It looks fancy but it's actually super easy to make!
These Black Forest cupcakes have a rich chocolate cupcake filled with a cherry Kirsch compote, then topped with whipped cream! They're simple but oh so delicious!
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Why You'll Love These Black Forest Cupcakes!
- Filled with homemade cherry Kirsch sauce - the sweet German cherry sauce is the perfect compliment to the rich chocolate cupcakes!
- Moist chocolatey cupcake base - these chocolate cupcakes are moist, fudgy, and full of rich chocolate flavor!
- Topped with whipped cream - the super light whipped cream topping is the perfect balance to all the rich flavors of these Black Forest Cupcakes!
- Super easy to decorate - all you need to make these cupcakes beautiful are some chocolate shavings and fresh cherries!
- The perfect dessert for any occasion - you can serve these cupcakes for the holidays, birthdays, Valentine's Day, or just whenever!
You might also like these Black Forest brownies or these chocolate fudge cupcakes!
Ingredient Notes
You just need a few simple ingredients to make these decadent black forest cupcakes!!
Cake Flour - I always use cake flour in my cupcakes because it makes them super soft and tender, but all purpose flour also works great!
Cocoa Powder - My absolute favorite cocoa powder to use in my baking is the King Arthur Flour Triple Cocoa Blend! It's a blend of natural, Dutch, and black cocoa and is perfect for any baking. But you can easily substitute unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa instead!
Espresso Powder - This is optional, but I love how espresso powder enhances and deepens the chocolate flavor! King Arthur is my favorite brand of high quality espresso powder! Note: espresso powder is NOT the same as instant espresso!! Espresso powder is much more flavorful and more finely ground, making it more suitable for baking.
Cherries - I love using fresh cherries for the filling, but frozen work well too! If using fresh cherries, I highly recommend using a cherry pitter to remove the pits.
Kirsch - In order to be a true black forest cake flavor, you have to use Kirsch! Kirsch (or kirschwasser) is a Germany cherry brandy that adds awesome flavor to the cupcakes and cherry filling. If you can't find Kirsch you can substitute other cherry liquor or brandy, or just leave it out.
Whipped Cream - It's not black forest cupcakes without homemade whipped cream! To make the whipped cream more stable, I like to add powdered gelatin to it but that's completely optional.
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Cherry Filling
The fresh cherry filling is definitely the star of these cupcakes! It's super easy to make and can be made several days in advance.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cherries begin to break down and the filling starts to simmer and thicken, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and Kirsch. Allow to cool completely before filling the cupcakes.
Can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12 cup pan with cupcake liners.
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla together until combined.
Stir in about half of the flour mixture. Then stir in the milk and the remaining flour mixture and mix until fully combined.
Pour about ¼ cup of batter into each cupcake liner (they should be about halfway full).
Bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.
Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting and filling.
How to Make Stabilized Whipped Cream
You can use just regular whipped cream if you don't have gelatin lying around, but for piping I always prefer to stabilize it so that it stays nice and pretty (aka doesn't start melting down the side of you cupcake after 12 hours).
You can also check out this blog post for all of my other tips for making good whipped cream!
- Add the water to a microwave safe bowl and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin on top. Allow to sit for a few minutes.
- Transfer the gelatin mixture to the microwave and microwave for 5-10 seconds, until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir the mixture, then set aside to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip the mixture until it starts to thicken and soft peaks form, then turn the mixer to low speed. Slowly pour in the gelatin mixture until well combined. Increase the mixer to medium speed and continue mixing until stiff peaks form.
Tips for the Best Baked Goods
Use room temperature ingredients! Always make sure ingredients like butter, eggs, milk, yogurt, etc. are at room temperature before baking (unless the recipe indicates otherwise)! This ensures they'll incorporate into the batter more easily and leads to overall better texture. Remove all ingredients from the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before baking for best results.
Measure your flour correctly! It's most accurate to use a kitchen scale, but if you're measuring by volume you want to spoon and level! Fluff up the flour a bit with a spoon, and then spoon flour into the measuring cup. Once it's overflowing, use the back of a knife to level it off. Don't ever pack flour into the measuring cup or you'll end up with way too much! Improperly measured flour can lead to dry, dense baked goods. [Measure cocoa powder the same way!]
Use an oven thermometer! Just because your oven says it's 350, doesn't mean it is! If you oven hasn't been calibrated recently, it can be as much as 30 degrees off, which will negatively affect all baked goods from cakes to macarons! An oven thermometer is the easiest/cheapest way to ensure your oven is always at the proper temperature.
Make sure you baking powder is fresh! Baking powder is important for helping baked goods rise properly, but it has a relatively short shelf life once opened, so it's one of the few items I never buy in bulk! To test if your baking powder is still fresh, add a small amount to boiling water. If it bubbles it's still good to use, but if not it's time to toss it!
Cupcake Decorating Tips
For chocolate cupcakes, I like to use these chocolate brown cupcake liners for a more seamless look!
For these big whipped cream swirls on these Black Forest cupcakes, I use the large round tip from this decorating kit. The tips are much larger than standard sizes and so fun for decorating cupcakes!
If you like making filled cupcakes, shell out a couple bucks for a cupcake corer! It will make your life much easier.
Make sure you let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting!! After frosting, garnish with dark chocolate shavings.
If desired, you can also a drizzle a bit of leftover cherry filling juice over top of the black forest cupcakes for a fun effect.
Recipe FAQ's
These cupcakes are best eaten the same day, but will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. However, they taste best when served at room temperature! I like to let them sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving. Wait to top with fresh cherries until right before serving.
Kirsch is a German cherry liqueur that is added to the cherry filling and sometimes brushed over the cake. Kirsch is the defining ingredient that makes something "Black Forest" flavor.
Yes, frozen cherries can be used to make the cherry filling! If you can't find fresh cherries to top the cupcakes, you can use maraschino cherries instead!
Using a vegetable peeler, gently shave the edge of a chocolate bar for narrow curls or the side of a chocolate bar for wider curls. I like to store chocolate curls in a container in the freezer so that they stay fresh and don't melt!
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Black Forest Cupcakes
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup cake flour, substitute all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk
Cherry Filling
- 2 cups cherries, fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Kirsch , or other cherry liquor
Stabilized Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons flavorless powdered gelatin
- 2 tablespoons water
Top with
- fresh cherries
- dark chocolate shavings
Instructions
Cherry Filling
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cherries begin to break down and the filling starts to simmer and thicken, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and Kirsch. Allow to cool completely before filling the cupcakes.
- Can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12 cup pan with cupcake liners.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla together until combined.
- Stir in about half of the flour mixture. Then stir in the milk and the remaining flour mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Pour about ¼ cup of batter into each cupcake liner (they should be about halfway full).
- Bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Stabilized Whipped Cream
- Add the water to a microwave safe bowl and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin on top. Allow to sit for a few minutes.
- Transfer the gelatin mixture to the microwave and microwave for 5-10 seconds, until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir the mixture, then set aside to cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip the mixture until it starts to thicken and soft peaks form, then turn the mixer to low speed. Slowly pour in the gelatin mixture and mix on low until well combined. Increase the mixer to medium speed and continue mixing until stiff peaks form.
- Note: if the gelatin mixture thickens up too much before you add it to the whipped cream, just pop it back in the microwave for 3-5 seconds. It should be a pour-able consistency.
Assembly
- Once the cupcakes are fully cooled, use a cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake and discard (and by discard I mean snack on while you finish making the cupcakes).
- Spoon the cooled cherry filling into each cupcake.
- Transfer the stabilized whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a 1A tip and pipe swirls on each cupcake.
- Top with a dark chocolate shavings and a fresh cherry.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Adam says
I made these cupcakes a while ago (2 years?) and the recipe called for 1 & 1/4 cup of cake flour for 12 cupcakes. It now says 1 cup. They certainly weren't bad the first time. Why the change? Thanks!
Kyleigh Sage says
I'm constantly retesting and updating recipes and I've found with chocolate cupcakes, the cocoa powder can make them a bit dry (especially if you accidentally over-bake by a minute or two) so I've tested several times with the slightly reduced flour and I think it yields a lighter, moister cupcake that's less likely to come out over-baked! The difference is minimal but makes them a little more foolproof!
Mona says
I want to make these but need to make them ahead of time. Can I freeze the unfilled, unfrosted cupcakes? Can I freeze unfrosted, filled cupcakes? Thanks!
Kyleigh Sage says
You can absolutely freeze the unfilled, unfrosted cupcakes! You could also make the filling ahead of time and freeze it as well (I just wouldn't freeze it inside the cupcakes). Then let both thaw in the fridge overnight. Then just make the whipped cream the day of!
Morgan Ryan says
Can I used canned cherries like they use for pie filling/topping?
Kyleigh Sage says
Yes absolutely! I’d strain off a little excess juice before filling so the cupcakes don’t get soggy, but then you can use the extra juice to drizzle on top!
Ruth says
Do I use the same ratio when using grenadine instead of the liqeour?
Kyleigh Sage says
Yes!
Erin says
Made these and they’re so nice!
Cara says
These are my new favorite cupcakes! The cherry filling is to die for!
Saber says
Can you bake these with the cherry filling inside by chance?
These look amazing and I plan to make them for a book club event!
Kyleigh Sage says
I’ve never tried baking it with the filling inside so I’m honestly not sure. I feel like it should work? But I wouldn’t want them to not turn out.
Laura says
I tried this—I used a spoon to make a small indent in the batter for each cupcake and then spooned in roughly 1-2 teaspoons of cherry filling, and it worked. What came out was fully cooked cupcakes each with a pocket of cherry filling on top, which covered up nicely with frosting.
Tom says
Fantastic cupcakes. I made these for our annual men's bakeoff contest and won! I made it exactly as the recipe suggested and the results were awesome. I had to use frozen cherries since they are out of season.
Even though you can't taste the espresso the chocolate cake has a added dimension. Same with the cherries. I used a Michigan made cherry liqueur and could not detect any alcohol flavor, just a little flavor pop. I definitely will make these again.
Jules says
Made it! AMAZING! We all loved it! I left out the liquor, added a dash of raspberry extract to make up for it. Chocolate flavor was great! Filling great! Whipped topping great!
Wendy says
Made these for my Dad's 80th Birthday party and they were a hit. I didn't use any liquor and used mini semi sweet chocolate chips and cut the cherry in half to top the cupcake.
Rebecca says
Can I put the cherry filling in the cupcakes and leave them in the fridge overnight before frosting the next day?
Kyleigh Sage says
Yes absolutely!
Haleana says
Tried this with gluten free flour and it’s so good! My whipped cream is not pretty
Jeanmarie says
Is it possible to leave out the kirsh in this recipe?
Kyleigh Sage says
Absolutely! It just adds extra flavor but they’re still delicious without it!
Jeanmarie says
I want to use it but I don’t know when I will ever use it again and don’t want to waste it. Thank you so much!
Kyleigh Sage says
I’ve had the same bottle for 3 years so I get that haha
KK says
This cake was SO good (oh yeah, I turned it into a cake)! I deviated slightly with the whipped cream and the cherries to use what I could buy here in Germany, but the chocolate cake part was so chocolatey, fluffy, cakey, nicely moist, and delicious. It didn't dry out at all (although I did close it inside my cake holder not too long after initial cooling, to prevent drying, and I did brush the cooled cake with ample Kirschwasser, per the German way, before adding the cherries) and it stayed delicious for the several days it took the two of us to finish it. I honestly can't wait to make it again!
I'm not a coffee drinker, so I am not entirely sure what the espresso powder was supposed to be - especially what to look for here in Germany - but I used some ground-to-powdery-looking strong coffee stuff, which I ground further into a fine powder with a spoon before adding. I think it definitely worked its magic!
I'm already planning my next bake with your recipes!
Adam Newsome says
Is it possible to use canned cherries in syrup for the filling? Could I just potentially add some corn starch to thicken it up? (or maybe its not needed if its heavy syrup...)
Kyleigh Sage says
Yea absolutely! I don’t think you’d need to thicken it, just fill the cupcakes with mostly strained cherries and drizzle with the syrup!
Adam Newsome says
Thanks Kyleigh. And I'll still add the Kirsch I think. I was also thinking about the possibility of subbing Kirsch for Amaretto. I wonder if it woud be good. Cherry almond is always a good combo but I guess it strays a bit from traditional black forest, and maybe it would not go well with chocolate. Hmm.
Anyway I'll give it a go with the canned cherries and let you know how it works out! I have a few cans left over from a black forest cake I made which was incredible.
Adam Newsome says
Ok I made this with canned cherries. I used 2 cans but in hindsight needed only 1 (which would've made 1-1.5 cups). I definitely had lots of extra filling! Also I did add the cornstarch - felt like it needed to be thicker. Used maybe 1-1.5 tbsp. It turned out quite well actually.
My icing was a bit weak - there were small flecks of gel in it from the gelatin not merging perfectly with the rest (how to avoid this?). But it was masked by the filling and cupcake body itself. In the future I would also add just a bit more powdered sugar but I do prefer it a bit sweeter.
Overall, a great recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Patti says
What if I make the cake part today and freeze … than fill and frost Saturday … thoughts ? Wishing to serve them out of town at an octoberfest party
Kyleigh Sage says
That would work! The cupcakes will be a bit more dense after freezing but they should still taste great!! You can swap the butter in the cupcakes for a neutral oil to help them stay a little more moist!
Christine says
Hi, I'm trying these for the first time. I need to bake them today. Will the filling hold up if they are assembled and refrigerated for 2 days before serving?
Kyleigh Sage says
Yes!! I just wouldn’t frost them until the day off if possible!