Eggless Blackforest cupcakes

It always amazes me, how you can start with a basic batter and morph it into almost anything. You can make it citrus and fruity or warm and chocolaty. The same batter can take so many forms and the two end products might seem to be completely non-related. Here, in India, one of the favourite birthday cake flavours is blackforest. Now, I am not sure if blackforest qualifies to be called as a ;flavour' in itself, but I wont indulge in that debate.

Essentially, a black forest cake is just a chocolate cake, combined with the goodness of cherries and cream. So you get the freshness of summer and the comforting indulgence of chocolate, all packed into one. These little blackforest cupcakes come with a hidden surprise of cherry-sauce filled centres. If you make the cupcakes and fill them atleast 1 hour prior to serving, the cherry sauce will nicely seep into the chocolate cupcakes bringing out the classic blackforest flavour. I find vanilla whipped cream to be the perfect topping along with the literal cherry on the cake.

For the cupcakes:

• 1.5 cup plain flour

• 1 Cup and 1 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 0.5 cup cocoa powder

• 0.5 cup curd

• 0.5 cup Buttermilk (or milk with juice of 1 lime)

• 0.75 cup Oil/butter

• 2 teaspoon Vanilla essence

• 0.5 cup Hot water

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 0.5 teaspoon baking soda

• 0.5 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder (optional)

For whipped cream frosting:

1. 0.75 cup whipping cream, approx 200 grams

2. 3-4 table spoons icing sugar

3. 2 teaspoon vanilla essence

For the cherry sauce:

• 2-3 tablespoons mixed berry/ cherry or mixed fruit jam

• 20-30 glazed cherries

• 1 spoon sugar (optional)

• 2-3 tablespoons water

Method:

1. Line 12 cupcake liners with paper liners and pre heat the oven at 180 degrees

2. Boil water and mix in cocoa powder, making a runny paste. If using coffee, add the same to this hot water cocoa paste. Instant coffee bring out the rich taste of chocolate without overpowering it

3. In a bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and soda

4. Cream oil and sugar till pale, for about 2-3 minutes with a hand whisk

5. Add flour and curd alternately, lightly whisking in without over beating

6. Add buttermilk and finish with remaining flour. Fold in the batter

7. Add vanilla essence

8. Pour batter in 12 cupcake molds, using 1/2 cup measures to get even distribution

9. Bake at 180 degrees for 22-25 minutes

Frosting:

1. Cool down the cakes to room temperature before frosting

2. Whip cream, starting at low speed and gradually increasing speed till you have soft peaks

3. Add icing sugar and continue to whip

4. Add vanilla essence reduce the speed of beater and continue to whip till stiff peaks form

Sauce:

1. Reserving 12 whole cherries, finely chop the remaining cherries. You can also used fresh cherries (will increase cooking time) and other candied fruit such as tutti fruity

2. In a heavy bottomed pan, add water, jam and cherries, simmer on low heat till the cherries and jam make a mush together

3. Add sugar to taste - optional

4. Continue to simmer till thickened in consistency

Assembly:

1. Let the cupcakes cool down to room temperature before frosting

2. Neatly cut out a conical circle from the top of each up cake to make a 'core' to fill with sauce

3. You can remove a part of the cake core, but keep the 'lid' intact

4. Fill each cupcake with cherry sauce and close the lid

5. Pipe whipped cream frosting on top using star tip nozzle and decorate with a whole glazed cherry on top