Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

I’m still on the quest to find the perfect cupcake and today is all about chocolate! Although I’m not a huge fan of chocolate (I know… I’m weird!) I loved these cupcakes and would make them again.

The day I made the cupcakes I didn’t have buttermilk and ended up following the tip at the end of the recipe. You can make sour milk by mixing 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar to 1/2 cup nonfat milk.

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes. Recipe courtesy of Eating Well.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastryflour
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pitted cherries, fresh or frozen (thawed and drained), plus 12 fresh cherries with stems for garnish

Frosting

• 6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 cup packed confectioners sugar

Directions

1. To prepare cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, cake flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Beat granulated sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined. With the mixer on low, alternately mix in the dry ingredients and buttermilk, starting and ending with dry ingredients and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until just combined. Fold in chopped cherries until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared cups (they will be full).
4. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 22 to 26 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
5. To prepare frosting: Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sour cream and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Refrigerate the frosting until very cold, about 2 hours. Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes and decorate with a cherry on top, if desired.

Photo courtesy of Food Network.