Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
If you like chocolate covered cherries, you are going to love these Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes. A delicate spongy cupcake filled with cherry preserves and topped with cherry buttercream frosting. These are sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
This recipe was inspired by my favorite candy, chocolate covered cherries. The cupcakes are full of chocolate flavor and kept moist with the help of oil and butter.
The frosting is a simple buttercream that is flavored with cherry preserves. Each cupcake gets a generous filling of cherry preserves and then topped with the cherry buttercream.
There is no shortage of cherry flavor in this recipe.
Who doesn’t love chocolate covered cherries?
This is a cute cupcake idea for Valentine’s Day. Don’t you think? If you love chocolate covered cherries, you will absolutely adore these cupcakes.
The cupcake base is my all time favorite chocolate cupcake. I used it for these Dr. Pepper cupcakes and these Andes Mint cupcakes.
Both of which were a huge hit with you guys! I love this simple chocolate cupcake base. It’s fluffy, moist, and sturdy.
I filled the cupcakes with cherry preserves. And topped them with a sweet cherry buttercream frosting. I like to use black cherry preserves because of the rich, dark color. If you can’t find it, you can simply use regular cherry preserves.
For extra emphasis on chocolate covered cherry, I dipped fresh cherries in chocolate and topped each cupcake with a single cherry.
These cupcakes are one of my most popular cupcake recipes. Every just loves them!
Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3/4 cup black cherry preserves or regular cherry preserves
For the frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/3 cup black cherry preserves or regular cherry preserves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the oil, butter, and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a whisk. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the milk, begin and end with the flour mixture. Beat until well blended.
- Spoon 2 Tbs of batter into the paper lined muffin pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few dry crumbs. Remove cupcakes immediately from pans, and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Use the point of a sharp knife to cut a small well in the top center of the cupcakes and fill with cherry preserves. Replace the top portion of the cupcake and top with frosting. Garnish with fresh cherries dipped in chocolate if desired.
Make the frosting
- Beat butter on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in cream until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Beat in the cherry preserves. If the frosting becomes too loose or curdled looking, add more powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting comes together once again.
Nutrition
Nutritional values here on my recipes should be used as a general guide only. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the values shown are just an estimate.
Nutritional values here on my recipes should be used as a general guide only. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the values shown are just an estimate.
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Kara
Don’t these have to be refrigerated so that the perserves don’t spoil?
Jen Sobjack
They’ll be fine sitting out for a little while but for longer storage, it would be best to keep them refrigerated.
Stef
Has anyone ever made these with gf flour? If so, what kind of flour was it and how did they turn out?
GingerB
You can buy any GF flour and it would work well.. alittle gf tip.. blend the flour in a blender or nutrabullet on high fir a couple of mins.. gf flours tend to be grainy.. this helps solve that problem. I’ve made my own gf flour and bought the store brand and have no issues since I started using that method.
Celeste
Are you using Bing cherries or Maraschino?
Can’t wait to bake these this weekend!!!
Jen Sobjack
The recipe calls for black cherry preserves or any store bought cherry preserves. If you want to make your own cherry preserves, use whatever variety you prefer. If your question is in regard to the chocolate dipped cherries, I don’t recommend using Maraschino cherries for this. Fresh cherries such as Bing or Balaton cherries are good choices.
Stephanie Eden
Jen, I’ve made these twice now and just love them! My hubby cannot get enough of them. Thank you for sharing!
Rebecca
Hello. I just made this batter. After spooning in 2 Tbsp of batter into each of the 12 cups I still have a TON Of batter left. Probably enough to do another 12. Am I missing something. I double checked my measurements and I followed it to a T.
Jen Sobjack
This recipe should yield about 20 cupcakes. Sorry for the confusion.
Briana
Did you use a certain brand of cherry preserves? You just bought a jar from the store I’m assuming correct? I want to make these for Valentine’s Day they look so yummy.
Jen Sobjack
Yep, I used a jar purchased at my love grocer. Any brand of preserves will work. Just choose your favorite!
Catalina
Can you post directions for the chocolate covered cherries? Pretty Please?!
Jen
Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips according to package directions and dip the cherries in the melted chocolate. Set them on a parchment lined baking sheet and allow the chocolate to set.
Clare
In the make the frosting section should it say beat in the cream not beat in the milk? I have some very runny frosting!
Jen
Heavy cream is listed in the ingredients and is what you should have used. I apologize for the misunderstanding.
Amy
Hi Jen!
Awesome Cupcakes! If only I can pluck and take a piece of them directly from the screen! Yum! I’ll definitely try making your recipe.
Thanks for sharing!
Jen
Life would be so much easier if we could simply grab a sweet from the computer screen. Haha! I do hope you get a chance to make these cupcakes!
plasterer bristol
These are delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Simon
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks
Good grief, girl! You are trying to kill me with this deliciousness! These cupcakes are so gorgeous! I LOVE that cherry on top!
Jen Sobjack
Hahaha! Thank you, Rachelle! But I don’t want to kill you!!
Kelly
These cupcakes are gorgeous, Jen! The chocolate and cherry combo is perfect for Valentine’s Day and I love that you filled them with cherry preserves!
Danielle
I love chocolate covered cherries, they are so good! Your cupcakes look so perfect and that frosting sounds delicious too!
Sammie
These cupcakes look absolutely yummy. There’s something so very special about biting into a cupcake and finding a hidden centre. Absolutely delicious. Sammie.
Jen Sobjack
Thanks, Sammie!
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg
Such a beautiful cupcake. I do love cherry and chocolate together. 🙂
Jen Sobjack
Thanks, Erin!
Amanda
These look so cute! And chocolate covered cherries are the best, so I can just about imagine how crazy wonderful they’d be in cupcake form!
Zainab
Well, these are beyond GORGEOUS!!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
These are gorgeous! Love that you topped them with chocolate dipped cherries!
Manali @ CookWithManali
These are so perfect for Valentine’s Day Jen! I love the cute cherries on top!!
mira
Your cupcakes are always gorgeous Jen! Love the flavors in these, chocolate covered cherries are my favorite! Pinning!
Jen Sobjack
You’re sweet, Mira! Thank you!! Have a wonderful weekend!
Rachel @ Bakerita
I’ve been going crazy for cherries recently! I’ve eaten so many and I’m now swooning over this buttercream – it looks SO good! Pinned, and definitely trying these 🙂
Jen Sobjack
I feel you, Rachel! The frosting will definitely satisfy those cherry cravings!
Tina @ Just Putzing Around the Kitchen
These cupcakes look so fabulous!!!!
Jen Sobjack
Thank you, Tina!
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet
Wow, Jen! Those chocolate cherries on top are absolutely PERFECT! This may in fact be my new favorite cupcake. I love chocolate and cherries together. 🙂
Jen Sobjack
Thanks, Lauren!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
These cupcakes are so beautiful and festively fun, Jen! They bring a whole new meaning to the saying “Cherry on top”! This is chocolate cherry heaven! Pinned! Cheers, friend!
Jen Sobjack
Thanks, Cheyanne!
Liz @ Teta Lizza's Kitchen
These cupcakes are beautiful! The frosting looks soooo pretty and that chocolate covered cherry is perfection. Genius! My dad loves black forest cake and this has all the same amazing flavors but with a 2016 look! PINNED!
Jen Sobjack
Thanks, Liz!
Summer
Oh! Yum! These are tempting ♥
Jen Sobjack
Thanks, Summer!
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom
Jen, these cupcakes are so beautiful!!! LOVE the cherry preserves filling, frosting and chocolate dipped cherries!!! so pretty!
Jen Sobjack
Thank you so much, Alice!
Blair @ The Seasoned Mom
Beautiful photos, as always, Jen! And the cupcakes sound delicious! I don’t think I’ve ever had a chocolate covered cherry…how is that possible?! I have no doubt that they’re awesome!
Jen Sobjack
You’re sweet! Thank you, Blair!I can’t believe you’ve never had a chocolate covered cherry!! They are my favorite treat!
Lori
How many does this make? Recipe says 12 but then says line 20 muffin cups.
Jen
The recipe makes 12 cupcakes. I’ve corrected the instructions to reflect this.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
These cupcakes are SO gorgeous, Jen! I love them! Such a fantastic idea to make a chocolate covered cherry version. And that frosting looks so good. I’m the worst when it comes to frosting…mine always turns out into big fat blobs. What a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day!
Jen Sobjack
Thank you so much, Gayle! Chocolate covered cherries are my FAVORITE!