Black Forest Cupcakes - Recipe

For the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
4 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup confectioners/icing sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 eggs
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
2 tbsp. cherry flavored liqueur

1. Preheat the oven to 325F. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Set aside. Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the flour mixture and the chopped cherries, stir until well combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Pour or brush a little of the cherry liqueur on top of each cupcake and continue to cool on a wire rack.

For the topping:
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. confectioners/icing sugar, sifted
12 maraschino cherries, whole
3 1/2 oz. semi sweet chocolate bar

2. White the cream and confectioners sugar together until slightly stiff. Using a vegetable peeler, shave curls of chocolate from the bar. Garnish the cupcakes with a dollop of cream. Place and cherry in the center of each cupcake and sprinkle some chocolate around the cherry.

Makes approximately 18 cupcakes