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
Scale
- 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
