Whisk Kid

Baking delicious things in the Mitten State

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About the Kid

On – {Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cupcakes with Cherry Italian Meringue Buttercream}

July 28, 2010 by Kaitlin 22 Comments

“No! Not like that! Stop!”

Petite, talkative and girly in every way, Ms. L holds a pristine spiral bound notebook over her crossed legs while passively overseeing my session. We’ve been talking for some time now, but our conversation has nothing to do with the road before us. In fact, to be completely honest, I can remember discussing little more than the difficulty we were having remembering the artist of a then-popular song. Driving just didn’t seem that important in comparison to the list she was penning. Who can concentrate while someone is audibly composing a mix CD in the passenger seat?

Not me, that’s for sure.

So, she yells. Completely controlling, laced with fear and fluffed with a certain level of disappointment, her voice is suddenly more commanding than I’d ever expected it to be. She lowers her ornately scribed notebook, unfolds her legs and adjusts her glasses in one movement; transforming instantly into the driving instructor I had originally thought I would meet.

I didn’t have my turn signal on long enough before I attempted to switch lanes.

Oops.


After correcting my mistake, Ms. L returns to her list, allowing the air conditioning to blow her strengthened personality into the back seat. My attention falters and I struggle to maintain interest in the boring two-lane freeway we travel.

Memories are more interesting.

Did anyone else drive a go-kart as a kid? While Ms. L was loosely orchestrating my driving lessons that day, I had a hard time ignoring the familiar feel of the wheel in my hands. After spending so many days racing around the yard in our beat-up kart, I found the lane dividers to be so constricting. Sure, I could drive in a straight line, but did I want to? No way. There were no trees on this road. No chicken or dogs. No brothers on bikes. I was alert, but there was just nothing going on.

Driving was boring.

But I did know that it was more serious. For instance, rolling a go-kart makes you sound seriously cool, but a car… Not so much. I understood that, and also the responsibility that came with operating a vehicle at 70 miles per hour. However, despite the fact that I knew my full attention should be devoted to the road, I had a hard time granting it. There are, admittedly, nerves and jitters to overcome as you learn rules and regulations, but after that initial step, driving takes only a small amount of thought.

My conclusion was becoming more and more concrete as I studied my environment. Ms. L’s unconcerned behavior, the dull stares of other drivers, the fearlessness of those racing up on ramps – driving is just something to get used to, and after that, it’s just something you do.


It’s bizarre how things can become so mindless. After road trips – long ones and short ones – it’s a little more than disorienting to step from my car, ask myself, “how did I get here?” and be unable to recall much about the trip. It kind of bothers me that I place such little value in the hours I spend in the car and that I treat them as if they can’t be full and enjoyable like the rest of life.

So, starting today, I’m going to be more observant. I am going to look around more, think more, and be more alive while I am strapped into the driver’s seat.

We’re only permitted so much time here, and I aim to make the best of every second I have.

Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cupcakes with Cherry Buttercream
These cupcakes involve making a quick jam, but feel free to use purchased jam or preserves in lieu of making it yourself.
Printable Recipe

Quick Cherry Jam
2 c whole, pitted sweet cherries
1/2 c water
2 Tbls cornstarch
2 Tbls sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat. As the cherries cook, mash them with a fork and stir often with a rubber spatula. Cook until slightly reduced and thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Strain into another bowl, cover, and allow to cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cupcakes adapted from Martha Stewart
This makes 1 dozen cupcakes.

1/4 + 1/8 c (33 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 c (95 g) flour
3/4 c (150 g) sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 + 1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt
1 eggs
1/4 + 1/8 c (90 ml) warm water
1/4 + 1/8 c (90 ml) buttermilk
2 Tbls safflower oil (I used canola)
1/2 tsp vanilla
Quick Cherry Jam

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line 1 cupcake tin with liners and set aside.

Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add egg, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to ensure batter is well mixed.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Drop 1/2 tsp Quick Cherry Jam into each cupcake and swirl with a toothpick. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Makes 1 dozen.

Cherry Italian Meringue Buttercream For step-by-step directions for making Italian Meringue Buttercream, please click here!

1/8 c (35 ml) water
1/2 c (105 g) sugar
3 egg whites
1/8 c (25 g) sugar
1/2 c (120 g) butter, softened, cut into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla, more if desired
8-10 tsps juice from a jar of maraschino cherries

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer.

Heat the 1/2 c sugar and water on the stove to 245F stirring occasionally only after the sugar has been dissolved. When it is within the range of 230F to 235F, begin whipping the egg whites. When they get to soft peaks, begin adding the remaining 1/8 c sugar and continue whipping to medium peaks, being careful not to overbeat. When the syrup is the correct temperature, slowly pour it into the eggs with the mixer on high. After fully incorporated, beat the frosting 7-10 minutes until the outside of the bowl is room temp (I usually go a little longer than this; often times the bowl is not room temp when I begin adding butter. If the mix seems to soupy, put it in the fridge for a few moments or try briefly chilling some of the butter in the freezer before adding). Begin adding the butter, tablespoon by tablespoon, beating until fully incorporated. The frosting will deflate a little, but it’s ok. Keep whipping until the frosting comes together and add the vanilla. Begin adding the juice from the jar of maraschino cherries in 2 tsp increments, whipping to combine. Stop when the frosting has achieved a nice pink hue and the flavor is noticeable. Be careful not to add too much or the frosting will break.

Assembly

Fill cooled cupcakes with remaining (cooled) jam. This can be done in two ways: The first method requires no special tools and is done by slicing a cone out of the top of each cupcake. Drop in some of the jam and replace the cap. The second method uses a pastry bag filled with the jam and a piping tip (you can use one for specifically for filling or even a plain round one, such as a #3). Simply poke the tip into the cupcake and squeeze in filling.

After the cupcakes are filled, frost generously with buttercream.

If desired, use a potato peeler to shave curls off a block of chocolate onto the tops of the cupcakes. Top with a fresh cherry.

Related Posts

  • For H – {Blueberry Balsamic Cupcakes}For H – {Blueberry Balsamic Cupcakes}
  • Spring Giveaway! – {Blueberry Coffee Cake}Spring Giveaway! – {Blueberry Coffee Cake}
  • Buzz – {Meringue Cupcakes with Raspberry Curd}Buzz – {Meringue Cupcakes with Raspberry Curd}
  • Late – {Coconut, Almond and Currant Macarons}Late – {Coconut, Almond and Currant Macarons}
Tweet
PinIt

Filed Under: All Recipes, Chocolate, Cupcakes, Fruit

« Ride – {Heaven and Hell Cake}
How to Make Swiss Meringue Buttercream »

Comments

  1. sweetpeaskitchen.com says

    July 29, 2010 at 3:58 pm

    Oh wow!! My mouth is watering! Your picture looks beautiful. I will have to bake a batch of these soon! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Janis says

    July 29, 2010 at 7:07 pm

    WOW. My husband would love this. He has been on a cherry kick lately. May have to try it. Pics look great!

    Reply
  3. Jess-Sugar High says

    July 29, 2010 at 7:38 pm

    You always have the best photos. Those look very good 🙂

    Reply
  4. Raspberry Cat says

    July 29, 2010 at 10:24 pm

    They look nice ^_^;; <br />I have just been thinking that I wanted a recipe for cherry jammy muffins/cupcakes yesterday, and then this morning it is right here in front of me ^-^ magic.

    Reply
  5. ButterYum says

    July 29, 2010 at 10:35 pm

    Stunning photos – I&#39;m love maraschino cherries… can&#39;t believe I never thought to use the juice to flavor buttercream. I can&#39;t wait to try it. Thanks so much!!<br /><br />:)<br />ButterYum

    Reply
  6. doreeen sia says

    July 30, 2010 at 12:35 am

    OMG I SWEAR. You, your pictures and your cupcakes. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!!! =DDDDDDD

    Reply
  7. colleen , haverhill says

    July 30, 2010 at 1:05 am

    HOLY MOLY!! These look so freakin&#39; yummy! My husband would absolutley adore these! Thanks for the recipe I can&#39;t wait to make them. As usual great job with the stories, pictures and recipes you are one talented chicky.

    Reply
  8. leeleelark says

    July 30, 2010 at 4:01 am

    *spoiler alert* this comment is about the driving references, rather than your recipe/pictures…<br /><br /><br /><br />Sometimes you can definitely &quot;just&quot; drive… go into auto pilot, but other times, driving is very liberating. It&#39;s an amazing feeling, driving down Hagadorn/Jolly Rd where the sheep/cattle are just off MSU campus.. window down, a breeze, but not too chilly. It&#39

    Reply
  9. Shauna from Piece of Cake says

    July 30, 2010 at 4:43 am

    Girl, that Cherry Italian Meringue Buttercream is what done did it. I am so making this. Gorgeous photos, too!

    Reply
  10. The Cooks Next Door says

    July 30, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    I think I&#39;ll give these a try! They look beautiful!

    Reply
  11. Kimberly says

    July 30, 2010 at 5:53 pm

    Ah so yum! I&#39;ll be making those this weekend!

    Reply
  12. Sissy Sparrows says

    July 31, 2010 at 9:50 pm

    They look scruptious

    Reply
  13. Anonymous says

    August 1, 2010 at 8:03 pm

    Oh my – I feel weak in the knees and I&#39;m salivating like a rabid dog. I hope I have the strength not to eat the entire batch !!!

    Reply
  14. Maria says

    August 1, 2010 at 8:30 pm

    Beautiful! I can&#39;t wait for summer!!

    Reply
  15. Julia @Mélanger says

    August 1, 2010 at 9:35 pm

    LOL. I remember my first driving lesson (MANY years ago) and I was speeding within 5 minutes of being in the car. Whoops! That funny story brought back a few memories.<br /><br />Love these cupcakes. I sure do love cherries, too. I made a great cherry cupcake recipe a few years ago from Nigella Lawson. If this is like that version (looks similar), I&#39;d be in heaven.

    Reply
  16. apparentlyjessy says

    August 2, 2010 at 1:41 am

    Such luscious looking cupcakes, I&#39;ll have three please! Driving certainly does get easier with practice, hang in there!

    Reply
  17. Mr. P says

    August 3, 2010 at 3:04 pm

    They are probably the cutest cupcakes I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot.<br /><br />I need to work on mine!

    Reply
  18. Pocak Panna says

    August 5, 2010 at 7:23 pm

    This just looks divine! I have a very similar idea (black forest cupcake) in my mind for a long time, still have to make it, but I saved this recipe, this is a must make!

    Reply
  19. Rose says

    August 9, 2010 at 10:27 am

    oh gosh, these look too good to be true! Cherry and chocolate is the perfect combination :)<br /><br />Rose

    Reply
  20. alphaandomega says

    August 9, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    I&#39;ve never been in a go-kart, I&#39;ve never driven a car at all. I&#39;m kind of afraid to, and besides that they pollute the earth. Anyways, best of luck with your driving, don&#39;t give up!<br /><br />Yay for cherry cupcakes, these look awesome!

    Reply
  21. Anonymous says

    October 7, 2010 at 3:15 am

    I agree driving is boring, unless of course you are driving a stick shift – then it&#39;s fun! Probably almost as fun as driving the go kart in your backyard (but not quite).<br /><br />Why, a few months back I got a little drift going around the corner in my honda civic in the rain – 2nd gear worked perfectly for this. Quite the thrill, good thing my children were not in the car with me 🙂

    Reply
  22. Kim says

    September 23, 2012 at 1:13 am

    Those cupcakes look amazing! I love that you put a whole cherry on top for decoration. I made a batch of lemon raspberry cupcakes for my sister&#39;s wedding and put a raspberry on top of each and everyone went nuts about it. I guess it&#39;s the little things that make them stand out, huh? Beautiful pictures, by the way!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Modifying a fav chocolate cake recipe into somethi Modifying a fav chocolate cake recipe into something a little more my own. Brown sugar. Greek yogurt. Espresso. Pretty darn good. Continuing with the speckle theme from the last cake too because it’s just so darn fun to do. 

I was terrified to submit my cakes to the oven after the revisions I made to the recipe I was working from. They turned out perfectly, which was a huge relief considering the amount of bizarrely cratered cakes I’ve been turning out lately! That frustration put a bad taste in my mouth, so I sought out other hobbies as a reprieve. I fell back into knitting, which felt great, but it’s very time consuming 😉 I knocked a couple sweaters off my list on Ravelry and have a couple more I want to make. 

Relatedly, I know I’ve shared it before but here’s another friendly reminder that your local library probably grants you access to all sorts of virtual classes via a free app. Whether you want to learn how to work with fondant or sew a bra, there’s plenty of exciting new hobbies to explore.
The cranberry frosting on this cake is incredible The cranberry frosting on this cake is incredible but goodness gracious: the cake is absolutely not! I’ve made two yellow cakes in a row - different recipes - and they’ve both ended up with crazy tunnels like I’ve never experienced in my life. I was telling @meghan_splawn recently that I feel like I can’t get anything right until the third try these days, even things I have plenty of experience with (hello?! I can bake a cake!!). It’s driving me absolutely nuts. Tell me your favorite yellow cake recipe and help me break this curse? #f52grams #f52community #thebakefeed #weekendbaking #cake #beautifulcuisines #huffposttaste #thekitchn #instafood #bareaders #bakemore #williamssonoma #rslove #bakewithus #makemore
Stay-Soft Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls Cinnamon rolls a Stay-Soft Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls 

Cinnamon rolls are like new cars. The second they leave the oven, their value begins to drop immediately. Really: a cooled cinnamon roll is just…. Not that great. But this @kingarthurbaking recipe gets around that by cleverly incorporating tangzhong (cooked flour and milk), ensuring a soft, pillow texture much longer than traditional cinnamon rolls. Swipe to the last slide to see how soft the rolls are even hours after baking. I can personally attest that they’re excellent even the next day 😉 

I recently finished one of those massive 7-oz containers of cinnamon - before the expiration date! - which felt like some sort of life achievement. Baking these seemed like a great reason to bust into a new container of Ceylon cinnamon 💪 
.
.
.
.
.
.
#bakeoftheweek #recipeoftheyear #bakewithus #makemore #williamssonoma #imsomartha #feedfeed @thefeedfeed #buzzfeast #thekitchn #f52grams #thebakefeed #bonappetit #beautifulcuisines #eeeeeats #tastecooking #madeinstaub
I’ll never tire of star bread. I posted a reel t I’ll never tire of star bread. I posted a reel to show how it’s made (check my feed if you missed it!). The process is really so fun and not as hard as you might expect 😚
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#feedfeed @thefeedfeed #thebakefeed #bakewithus #makemore #cinnamonrolls #imsomartha #instafood #beautifulcuisines #huffposttaste #buzzfeast #thespruceeats #tastecooking #thekitchn #kingarthurbaking #dessert #eeeeeats #breadbosses #f52grams #f52bakingclub #thekitchn #redstaryeast
Follow on Instagram

How to Assemble a Layer Cake

How to Frost a Cake

Heaven and Hell Cake

Copyright © 2022 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress