These black forest cupcakes are made with moist chocolate cupcakes, filled with a homemade cherry filling, and topped with fluffy whipped cream.
These cupcakes have all the exact flavors of a traditional German black forest cake but in a fun, easy cupcake version.
The filling can be made with either fresh or frozen cherries, and the secret to getting that authentic flavor is adding a splash of Kirsch (cherry brandy) directly into the pot.
Each cupcake gets a big swirl of fluffy whipped cream, a drizzle of the leftover cherry juice, and a whole cherry on top. They look gorgeous on a dessert platter and are always a huge hit at parties!
For more cupcake recipes, check out my orange cupcakes, banana pudding cupcakes, strawberry filled cupcakes, carrot cake cupcakes, pumpkin cupcakes, and tiramisu cupcakes.
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Why this recipe works
- Authentic Flavor: You get the perfect mix of rich chocolate cake, tart cherries, and smooth cream, just like the classic cake.
- Super Moist Base: This oil-based chocolate cupcake stays incredibly soft and fluffy for days, even after sitting in the fridge.
- Easy Homemade Filling: No canned pie filling here. This quick stovetop version uses real cherries (fresh or frozen) and cherry brandy for the best flavor.
- Whipped Cream That Lasts: Adding a spoonful of instant pudding powder keeps the whipped cream perfectly stiff, so it won’t deflate or weep.
Ingredients
Before you start, measure out your ingredients to make the process smooth and easy. Full measurements are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For the cupcakes
All-Purpose Flour: The standard base for a perfect cake crumb.
Dutch Cocoa Powder: Gives the cupcakes a deep, dark color and a much richer chocolate taste than natural cocoa.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: The leaveners that give the cupcakes a beautiful, light rise.
Granulated Sugar: For sweetening and keeping the cake crumb soft.
Vegetable Oil: Using oil instead of butter guarantees the cupcakes stay completely moist. Canola oil works perfectly too.
Eggs: Use room-temperature eggs so they mix evenly into the batter.
Hot Coffee or Espresso: You won't taste the coffee at all! The hot liquid just "blooms" the cocoa powder to make the chocolate flavor pop.
Vanilla Extract & Kosher Salt: To balance the sweetness and deepen the cocoa flavor.
For the Cherry Filling
Cherries: Pitted sweet cherries work best. You can use fresh ones or frozen cherries that have been thawed and drained.
Kirsch (Kirschwasser): This traditional German cherry brandy is what gives Black Forest desserts their signature flavor.
Sugar & Fresh Lemon Juice: Cooked down with the fruit to draw out the natural juices and add a bright tartness.
Cornstarch Slurry: A mix of cornstarch and a splash of water to thicken the juices into a glossy sauce.
For the Whipped Cream
Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: The secret ingredient that stabilizes the cream so it holds its shape for days.
Heavy Cream: Make sure it is ice-cold straight from the fridge so it whips up quickly.
Powdered Sugar: To sweeten the cream without making it grainy.
Instructions
Make the chocolate cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, sugar, room-temperature eggs, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda right into the wet mixture. Stir with a whisk or wooden spoon just until the flour mostly disappears. Don't overmix here!
Add the hot coffee to the bowl and stir gently until the batter is smooth. The batter will be very thin, which is exactly how it should look.
Fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ full. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for roughly 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the cherry filling
Put the pitted cherries, lemon juice, and sugar into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the cherries soften and start releasing their juices.
In a small cup, mix the cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water until smooth.
Pour this slurry into the simmering cherries while stirring constantly. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until the sauce bubbles and thickens up.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Kirsch. Let the filling cool completely before using (it will get thicker as it sits).
Make the whipped cream
Add the cold heavy cream, instant pudding powder, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar into a large bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed for a few minutes until you get thick, stiff peaks.
Assembly
Use a cupcake corer or a knife to cut a small well out of the center of each cooled cupcake (don't go all the way to the bottom!). Spoon a generous amount of the cooled cherry filling into the centers.
Put the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe a big swirl onto each cupcake.
Drizzle some leftover cherry juice over the top, add some chocolate shavings if you like, and finish with a fresh cherry.
Expert Tips
- Don't Skip the Coffee: The heat from the coffee brings out the absolute best flavor in the cocoa powder. The cupcakes will not taste like coffee at all.
- Let Everything Cool Completely: If the cupcakes or the cherry filling are even slightly warm, the whipped cream will instantly melt into a watery mess.
- Don't Overcore the Cupcakes: Only cut about halfway down into the cupcake. If you cut all the way to the bottom paper liner, the juicy filling will leak out and make a mess.
- Stop Whipping in Time: Keep a close eye on the whipped cream. The second it holds a sharp, stiff shape, stop mixing. Over-whipping will turn the cream grainy.
FAQS
This usually happens if you overfilled the liners (keep them strictly ⅔ full) or if you opened the oven door too early before the cake structure had time to set.
The filling needs to be completely cooled to room temperature so the cornstarch has time to fully set and thicken. If it's still warm, it will be too runny.
Yes! If you want a non-alcoholic version, just leave out the Kirsch. You can add a splash of extra cherry juice or a drop of cherry extract instead.
Storing
Because of the fresh whipped cream and cherry filling, these cupcakes must be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Freezing
The Best Way (Unfrosted): Let the baked cupcakes cool completely, core them, and freeze the plain bases in a single layer on a tray. Once frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Thaw at room temperature, then fill and frost them fresh.
Why You Shouldn't Freeze Frosted Cupcakes: Real whipped cream toppings do not thaw well at all. Freezing breaks down the cream's structure, leaving you with a flat, watery mess once it thaws.
Always make the whipped cream fresh!
Substitutions
Gluten-Free: Use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum.
Dairy-Free: You can use a dairy-free heavy whipping cream alternative for the topping.
Variations
Chocolate Shavings: Run a vegetable peeler along the edge of a dark chocolate bar to make chocolate curls, then sprinkle them generously over the cream.
Chocolate-Dipped Cherries: Dip your topping cherries into melted dark chocolate before placing them on the whipped cream for a bakery-style look.
Nutty Crunch: Add a small sprinkle of finely chopped toasted hazelnuts or sliced almonds over the topping.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk set
- Cupcakes tins
- Cupcake corer
- Open star piping tip
- Electric hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
More cherry desserts
Cherry Cheesecake- A velvety cream cheese base topped with a thick, glossy homemade cherry compote.
Cherry Coffee Cake- A soft, lemon-infused snack cake layered with juicy cherries and a brown sugar crumble.
Cherry Galette- An incredibly easy, free-form pastry crust loaded with sweet-tart cherries.
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📖 Recipe
Black Forest Cupcakes w/ Cherry Filling
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Espresso powder
- ⅓ cup Vegetable oil
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups Flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 cup Espresso
For the cherry filling
- 2 cups Cherries pitted
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
- ¼ cup Water
- 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Kirsch
For the whipped cream
- 2 cups Heavy cream cold
- ½ cup Powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon Vanilla instant pudding mix
Instructions
Make the chocolate cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, sugar, room-temperature eggs, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda right into the wet mixture. Stir with a whisk or wooden spoon just until the flour mostly disappears. Don't overmix here!
- Add the hot coffee to the bowl and stir gently until the batter is smooth. The batter will be very thin, which is exactly how it should look.
- Fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ full. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for roughly 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the cherry filling
- Put the pitted cherries, lemon juice, and sugar into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the cherries soften and start releasing their juices.
- In a small cup, mix the cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water until smooth.
- Pour this slurry into the simmering cherries while stirring constantly. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until the sauce bubbles and thickens up.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Kirsch. Let the filling cool completely before using (it will get thicker as it sits).
Make the whipped cream
- Add the cold heavy cream, instant pudding powder, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar into a large bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed for a few minutes until you get thick, stiff peaks.
Assembly
- Use a cupcake corer or a knife to cut a small well out of the center of each cooled cupcake (don't go all the way to the bottom!). Spoon a generous amount of the cooled cherry filling into the centers.
- Put the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe a big swirl onto each cupcake.
- Drizzle some leftover cherry juice over the top, add some chocolate shavings if you like, and finish with a fresh cherry.
Notes
- Don't Skip the Coffee: The heat from the coffee brings out the absolute best flavor in the cocoa powder. The cupcakes will not taste like coffee at all.
- Let Everything Cool Completely: If the cupcakes or the cherry filling are even slightly warm, the whipped cream will instantly melt into a watery mess.
- Don't Overcore the Cupcakes: Only cut about halfway down into the cupcake. If you cut all the way to the bottom paper liner, the juicy filling will leak out and make a mess.
- Stop Whipping in Time: Keep a close eye on the whipped cream. The second it holds a sharp, stiff shape, stop mixing. Over-whipping will turn the cream grainy.
Paul says
Delightful cupcakes!