Black Forest Cupcakes Recipe

For the Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-count cupcake tin with cupcake wrappers or spray the wells with a nonstick baking spray.
2. Mix the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs together in a bowl until smooth.
3. Scoop batter into each of the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ of the way full. Bake for 17-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely before moving onto the filling.

For the Filling

1. To fill the cupcakes, use a knife and carve out a shallow well from the center of the cupcake. Don’t go down too far or the filling will make a mess. (You could also use a melon baller or spoon.) Fill each of the wells with the cherry pie filling. (I was able to fit 3-4 cherries into each cupcake) Set aside to prepare the frosting.

For the Frosting

1. To start, place a stainless steel mixing bowl into the freezer for 20-30 minutes before preparing the frosting.
2. Once chilled, add the heavy cream to the bowl and use a hand mixer to mix on high just until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Don’t overmix.
3. Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until it comes together, stopping just before it starts to form stiff peaks, about 1 minute.
4. Add the pudding mix and continue mixing on a low speed for another 30 seconds, just until it’s all combined. Take care not to overmix, as the frosting can quickly curdle.
5. Scoop the frosting into a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip (I used a Wilton 1M tip). Frost the cupcakes as desired.
6. For the chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler and run it along the side of a chocolate bar. Top with a bing cherry.