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Enjoy the best of both worlds with these chocolate cherry chip cupcakes! They’re just like the very cherry cupcakes you grew up with, but made with real cherries and chocolate chips!
Ok, so I’ve only posted like three recipes this entire summer, and two of them have been cupcakes. Don’t judge me, alright!? I’m tired, overwhelmed, and I really, REALLY like sugar. It helps. Plus – I’m part of this whole #cupcakemondays phenomenon so I have a perfectly legitimate reason to solely dedicate my culinary creativity to cupcakes.
Today’s creation? Chocolate cherry chip cupcakes!!!! Trust you me, it deserves ALL four of those exclamation marks. Have you ever had the boxed cherry chip cake flavor? Please tell me you have!! It was one of my most requested birthday cake flavors growing up. I’ve been wanting to recreate that flavor, made from scratch and with real cherries, for a long time now. I’m confident that I’ve done it with these cupcakes!
I’ve used the cherries that I brought home from the beautiful Okanogan for these beauties. I bought sooo many cherries! And apricots and peaches. I do so love stone fruit season! If you’ve been keeping an eye on my Insta stories, you’ll have seen some of the highlights of our little family vacay. Along with fruit picking, we were lucky in that the weather wasn’t tooo crazy hot while we were there, and the boys got lots of beach time in! Etienne and I even got out for a little lunch date to Mission Hill. We hadn’t done anything like that in SO long, it was so nice! I also visited a beautiful lavender farm and picked up a few little gifts for people.
So, how do you make cherry chip cupcakes?
On to the cupcakes! Greek yogurt and buttermilk work together in these cupcakes to ensure they are soft, moist and fluffy. They are probably my two favourite ingredients for muffins and cupcakes; it makes such a difference!
You’ll need nearly a cup of fresh cherries, pitted and diced. Have you invested in a cherry pitter yet? It’ll make such a difference in your life!
The cupcakes bake for around 20 minutes. Use a toothpick to make sure they’re done. Once cooled, you can get to work on the really delicious part – the buttercream!
How do you make fresh cherry frosting?
The frosting for these cherry chip cupcakes is two-toned – don’t be intimidated! If you aren’t into piping bags and tips (I used a Wilton 1A) you could also just pick one of the flavors and double the amount, or make both and then do half and half! If you’d like to try your hand at the swirled icing, check out this helpful video. I first learned this technique at a workshop hosted by a local cupcake company.
The fresh cherry frosting is made with (you got it) fresh cherries! Be sure to drain the diced cherries in a strainer, otherwise the frosting will be too wet. Mix the butter with powdered sugar, before adding a bit of almond extract, the strained cherries and a touch of cherry juice, if necessary. Don’t use cream! The cream will make this particular buttercream curdle.
Frost these beauties and enjoy!
Let’s keep Cupcake Mondays alive – we all need a little sugar on the first day of the work week, right? Check out the links below my recipe to see the other awesome cupcakes from my blogger friends!
Other cupcakes from the blog you’ll love:
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Chocolate Cherry Chip Cupcakes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 15-16 cupcakes 1x
Description
Enjoy the best of both worlds with these chocolate cherry chip cupcakes! They’re just like the very cherry cupcakes you grew up with, but made with real cherries and chocolate chips!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (grapeseed, vegetable, canola)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt*
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
- 3/4 cup fresh cherries, pitted and diced
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1–2 tbsp heavy cream or milk (as needed)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Fresh Cherry Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
- 1/2 cup fresh cherries, diced finely and strained*
- 1 tsp fresh cherry juice (if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners. You’ll make about 15-16 cupcakes in total.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, beat the eggs on medium-high until frothy. Add the sugar and oil, and mix until combined. Add the yogurt, buttermilk and extracts and slowly mix until all of the ingredients are combined. Add half of the flour mixture and slowly beat together. Add the other half and mix until just combined. Using a large wooden spoon, fold in the cherries and chocolate chips.
- Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full – do not overfill! Bake the cupcakes for about 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I like to rotate my pan halfway through the cooking time to ensure even baking! Remove the cupcakes from the oven, cool for 5 minutes and then cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
- Prepare the chocolate buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter until whipped. Add the cocoa powder and icing sugar and mix on slow until the sugar is incorporated, then add 1 tablespoon of cream and vanilla extract and beat on high until the frosting is the right consistency. Add an additional tablespoon of cream if necessary. Frost the cupcakes immediately.
- Prepare the cherry buttercream. n the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter until whipped. Add the icing sugar, almond extract and fresh cherries and mix on slow until the sugar is incorporated, then add 1 tsp of fresh cherry juice if required. Do NOT add cream, as the frosting will curdle. Frost the cupcakes immediately.
Cupcakes will keep at room temperature on the counter for 2 days; I prefer to store mine in the fridge. They will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. Un-frosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Notes
- I like to use full fat yogurt, but low-fat works too
- Once diced, place the cherries in a fine mesh strainer and press down with the back of a spoon, releasing the juices into a measuring cup below. Reserve the juice for the icing, if necessary
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: cupcakes
- Method: oven bake
- Cuisine: american
Continue the #CUPCAKEMONDAYS party with some amazing cupcake recipes from my blogger friends, and don’t forget to check out our hashtag on Instagram. You’re in for a serious treat!
Brown Sugar Toffee Cupcakes from Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats
Piñata Cupcakes from A Table Full of Joy
Mojito Cupcakes from Nourish and Fete
Chocolate Banana Cupcakes from The Itsy-Bitsy Kitchen
Love anything with fresh cherries! These cupcakes look super fluffy, and the two-toned frosting looks awesome! Sounds like you’re having a great summer Katherine!
Thank you Leanne! It was my first real go at the two-toned frosting. I wish I could make ALL the cupcakes to keep practicing! Hope you are having a good summer too my friend!
LOVE all the cherry flavors here Katherine! These look so yummy and your pictures are GORGEOUS! Pinned!! Happy Cupcake Monday my friend!
Thank you Kelly!!! You are too sweet. Happy Cupcake Monday to you too my dear!!
These look to die for!! Chocolate and Cherry are so good together! I would have loved to go to that Lavender farm, I’m obsessed with Lavender plants! Your cupcakes are PINNED my dear!
They are SO good together, aren’t they!? I wish I could have brought you back some lavender goodies – I wanted to buy it all!!! Thank you my friend!! XO
Don’t worry. Summer will be with us for a month, so you have an opportunity to post one (or even two) recipes. The odds that it’s going to be another recipe for cupcakes are pretty…low…or hight (I always confuse this part ha ha). Anyway, cheers to these guys and any subsequent!
YES – I’m glad you are also holding onto summer, Ben! I am not ready for fall yet! Thank you my friend!
Hand full of blog posts with a new born is way too awesome Kathy!! And you have totally nailed it with these cupcakes. Chocolate and cherry combo is so delicious and so pretty too. I love that you’ve used greek yogurt and buttermilk, so moist and soft!!
Thank you Maria! It makes me sad sometimes that I can’t be as active as I was, but at least I’m getting a few posts out! YES – I love Greek yogurt and buttermilk in baking, it makes for the fluffiest result!
Two of your three recipes cupcakes? I have no complaints about that! Love chocolate and cherry together and that two toned frosting is absolutely gorgeous! I’ve got to get better at my piping skills! I picked up cherries the other day for $1.99/lb…couldn’t believe it! I’ve been enjoying so many this summer and will be sad when the season ends! I guess I’ll have to freeze a few 😉 That lavender farm looks amazing. Off to look at their site a little more…right up my alley! XO
Me too, Dawn!! It’s a winning flavour combo. I’ve been LOVING the cherries too this summer, I think they’re extra good this year! The lavender farm was so nice, you’d love it! Cheers, my friend!
What a wonderful way to use sweet cherries. Incorporating them, along with the juice, into the frosting is a nice touch. The touch of almond … so good with cherries.
Why thank you! Almond extract is amazing with cherry flavoured desserts!
You deserve cupcakes with a baby and two small boys at home….no judgements here! 🙂 These cupcakes are beautiful and I’m loving that two-toned frosting. Great job making your favorite cake from scratch!
Thanks Marcie, I think so too!! 😉 Along with some chocolate and wine haha!
From scratch, with two flavored piped frosting?? You get bonus points for making these gems with a wee one + 2 at home!! They look fabulous!!
Oh thank you Liz!! That’s why it takes me a month to get a recipe out, haha! Hope your summer is going well my friend
No judgement here, Katherine! Especially when the cupcakes looks this amazing! And I agree with Liz about the two flavor piped frosting – wowza! And cherry and chocolate for the win – always a delicious combination!
Thank you Marissa!! Cherry and chocolate are so good together! Cheers! XO