Enjoy all the moist boozy deliciousness of a traditional German Black Forest Cherry Cake in more manageable cupcake. Beautiful to look at and delightfully delicious.
Course Dessert
Author JoElle @ www.acraftycomposition.com
Ingredients
MERINGUE WAFERS
6egg whites
scant 1/2cupwhite sugar, fine
1cupblanched almonds
1tspalmond flour
another1/2 cupwhite sugar, fine
1.5tspcornstarch
CUPCAKES
1 2/3cupsflour, all-purpose
2/3 cupdark cacao powder, unsweetened
1.5tspbaking soda
1tspsalt
1/2cupshortening, plain or butter flavored
1.5cupswhite sugar, fine
2eggs
1.5tspvanilla extract
1.5cupsbuttermilk
CHERRY SYRUP
1jarsour cherries, I used Trader Joe's Dark Morello Cherries
1/2cupKirschwasser (Cherry Brandy)
1/2 +or -cupwhite sugar, fine
WHIPPED CREAM
1pintheavy whipping cream
1/4 +cupconfectioner's sugar
1/2tspvanilla or almond extractOPTIONAL
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS
1cuphigh quality cherry jam
1jarPitted Amarena Cherries (Trader Joe's)
1small blockdark chocolate for gratingOPTIONAL
Instructions
MERINGUE WAFERS (This recipe is derived from Food & Fam's Crispy Almond Meringue Layer Cake)
Tear off a sheet of waxed paper the same size as your cookie sheet. Find a lid or glass that fits perfectly into one of the cups of your cupcake pan. Use this lid or glass to trace circles onto the waxed paper, making sure there is at least an inch between each circle. Lay the waxed paper onto the cookie tray.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees f.
Place the blanched almonds and almond flour into a food processor and grind them until they are very small crumbs.
In a bowl, beat egg whites until they start to foam, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually add a scant 1/2 cup of sugar to the egg whites; continuing to beat them until they form stiff peaks (about 10 minutes).
In a small bowl, combine the 2nd half cup of sugar, cornstarch and blanched almonds mixture.
Fold the almond/cornstarch mixture into the egg whites using as few gentle strokes as possible while making sure everything is completely incorporated.
Place meringue mixture into piping bag or gallon-size ziploc with one of the bottom corners snipped off. Pipe the meringue mixture into the circle template on the cookie sheet. You want to make a pancake not a peak; between 1/8" and 1/4" thick. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth out any uneven parts while making sure you stay within the each traced circle.
Bake for 80 to 90 minutes. Cool and keep in air tight container until assembly time.
CHERRY SYRUP
Drain the juice from the jar of sour cherries into a medium sauce pan and set aside. Put the cherries into a bowl and add 1/2 cup Kirschwasser to them. Stir and refrigerate for 1 hour. This is a good time to make your cupcakes.
After the hour, drain the Kirschwasser juice from the cherries; adding it to the sauce pan with the original juice. Cut all the cherries in half and refrigerate until assembly time.
Add 1/2 cup sugar (+ or - to taste) to the sauce pan and stir until sugar dissolves. Over medium-high heat, bring the juice to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to medium/low and let simmer until the juice has reduced by about half and has a syrup consistency. Set syrup aside to cool.
If you haven't already, make your cupcakes and then see 'Infusing The Cupcake' Instructions
CUPCAKES (This recipe is derived from Genius Kitchen's Authentic Black Forest Cake Recipe)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
Sift the dry ingredients onto a sheet of wax paper and set aside.
Make sure the shortening is at room temperature or slightly warm. Place the shortening and white sugar in a bowl and cream together with an electric mixer until somewhat stiff (about 8-10 minutes).
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk; mixing until well combined.
Fill cupcake pan no more than 1/2 full per cupcake.
Bake for 17 -18 minutes
INFUSING THE CUPCAKE
Cut each cupcake in half, horizontally. Set the cupcake tops in an air-tight container until assembly time. Place the cupcake bottoms on a tray that will fit in your fridge.
Using a syringe (I got one from the pharmacist), infuse the cupcake bottoms with the cherry syrup you made. Do not puncture the very bottom of the cupcake. Inject as much syrup as the cake will hold without leaking or becoming mushy.
Cover the cupcake bottoms with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of two hours or overnight.
WHIPPING CREAM
Pour well chilled heavy whipping cream into a bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until the cream begins to thicken. Add your sugar and continue to mix until the whipping cream is quite stiff. Fold in your almond or vanilla extract if you choose.
Load a piping bag or ziploc bag with the whipping cream and keep chilled while you set up the cupcake assembly line.
CUPCAKE ASSEMBLY
Set up a cupcake assembly line: meringue wafers, bowl of cherry jam, cupcake bottoms, bowl of halved cherries, cupcake tops, the Amarena Cherries, and if desired, the block of chocolate and a grater. The whipping cream will be used between several layers so make sure it is handy.
Add a tsp of jam and a coin sized piping of whipped cream to the top of a meringue wafer. Turn it jam side down onto a cupcake bottom.
Spread another tsp of jam on the top of the wafer and add a layer of halved cherries. Top with a piping of whipped cream to cover the cherries but not squish down the sides of the cupcake.
Add a cupcake top and press down gently. Top the cupcake with piped whip cream, a stemmed Amarena Cherry and shaved chocolate, if desired.
Store in the refrigerator until about ready to serve. Cupcakes will last a few days in the fridge, covered. ENJOY!
Notes
PLEASE NOTE: THESE CUPCAKES HAVE ALCOHOL IN THEM AND THEREFORE ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.