Description
Delight in these rich and moist Vegan Black Forest Cupcakes, featuring a luscious cherry filling infused with maple syrup and Amaretto. Topped with creamy vegan Swiss meringue buttercream and garnished with grated dark chocolate, these cupcakes offer a perfect combination of deep cocoa flavor and fruity sweetness—ideal for any special occasion or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcakes
- 1 cup soy milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- â…“ cup apple puree (or unsweetened apple sauce)
- â…“ cup olive oil (or neutral cooking oil)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup plain flour
- ½ cup cacao powder or natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Cherry Filling
- 3 cups frozen cherries (or pitted fresh cherries)
- 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons Kirsch or Amaretto
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
Topping
- 1 batch vegan Swiss meringue buttercream
- 0.7 oz (20 grams) dark chocolate (grated)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Tin: Preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F). Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with cupcake liners to ensure easy removal of the cupcakes after baking.
- Make Vegan Buttermilk: Combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Stir and allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes until it curdles, creating a vegan buttermilk substitute.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the apple puree, olive oil, and vanilla extract to the vegan buttermilk mixture. Stir well and set aside.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, cacao powder, soft brown sugar, baking soda, and sea salt to evenly distribute all dry ingredients.
- Make Cupcake Batter: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix to maintain cupcake tenderness.
- Fill and Bake: Distribute the batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center; it should come out clean.
- Cool Cupcakes: Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely for 30-40 minutes.
- Prepare Cherry Filling Paste: In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, Kirsch or Amaretto, and cornflour to create a smooth paste.
- Cook Cherries: Place frozen cherries in a saucepan over low heat to defrost slightly until juices begin to release. Stir in the cornflour paste and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cool Cherry Filling: Remove the saucepan from heat and let the cherry filling cool for 10 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill and thicken.
- Prepare Vegan Swiss Meringue Buttercream: While the cherry filling chills, prepare the vegan Swiss meringue buttercream according to your preferred recipe or package instructions.
- Core Cupcakes: Using a cupcake corer or apple corer, remove the center of each cooled cupcake. Reserve the removed pieces for topping later.
- Fill Cupcakes: Spoon the chilled cherry filling into the hollowed centers of each cupcake. Replace the reserved cupcake tops over the filling.
- Pipe Buttercream: Transfer the vegan Swiss meringue buttercream to a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle. Decoratively pipe the buttercream on top of each cupcake.
- Decorate: Add a dollop of cherry filling on the buttercream and sprinkle with grated dark chocolate to finish.
- Storage Instructions: Store cupcakes at room temperature for best taste. For storage beyond two days, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Before serving, allow refrigerated cupcakes to sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours to soften the buttercream.
Notes
- Using a neutral oil instead of olive oil can soften the cupcake flavor if desired.
- Frozen cherries work well year-round, but fresh cherries are great in season.
- Letting the vegan buttermilk sit properly is key to mimicking traditional buttermilk acidity for leavening.
- Be careful not to over-mix the cupcake batter to keep them light and tender.
- Kirsch or Amaretto adds authentic Black Forest flavor; can be omitted for alcohol-free version.
- Buttercream will firm up in the fridge; allow cupcakes to return to room temperature before serving.
- Vegan Swiss meringue buttercream is recommended for a smooth, stable frosting but a simple vegan buttercream can be used alternatively.
