These Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting are decadent, fluffy and perfectly moist. Treat yourself!
Friends, gather round because it’s time for another episode of…Cupcakes with Isabel!
Okay, let’s get real – considering these Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes are only my second cupcake recipe ever (my first were these Margarita Cupcakes with Tequila Cream Cheese Frosting), I’m going to hold off on calling Cupcakes with Isabel part of my regularly scheduled programming.
But just know that it could be a thing in the future. A deliciously decadent, sweet and chocolaty future.
As if we haven’t had enough Easter chocolate and candy by now (because when is it ever enough?), let’s dive right into these fluffy Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.
Let me start off by saying that I’m suuuuper proud of this recipe. The chocolate cupcakes are fluffy and light, yet moist, rich and decadent. To give it an even more complex and exciting flavor profile, I folded in some plump red cherries and added some cinnamon for a nice little Mexican twist. I used frozen dark sweet cherries, but you could also use fresh cherries if they’re in season or even dried cherries.
These cupcakes are so good, I could eat them all day every day without the frosting. But let’s not lie to ourselves – cream cheese frosting makes all baked treats 1000 times better!
If you’ve never made your own frosting, you’re in good company. This is the second time I’ve ever made frosting and it turned out beautifully. If I can do it, so can you.
To make the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, you’ll need an inexpensive handheld mixer like this one or a stand mixer. Once you mix all of the ingredients together to make the frosting, it’s time to decorate the cupcakes.
To decorate, you’ve got a couple of options. You can smear the frosting on top with a knife or a spatula for an easy, no-fuss cupcake. Or you can decorate them using a piping bag and a decorating tip. I know using a piping bag can sound a bit intimidating, especially if you’ve never used one (at least it was for me!), but it’s not that difficult and I got the hang of it after watching a few YouTube videos. I recommend buying an inexpensive cupcake decorating starter kit like this one and just giving it a go! For these cupcakes, I used the Wilton 2A tip which is included in that kit.
Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the cherry chocolate cupcakes
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cherries, chopped
For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 1/4 cups confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
For the cherry chocolate cupacakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 6 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside. (You can use either a 6-cup muffin tin or a 12-cup muffin tin. Both work!)
- In a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, ground cinnamon and salt. Mix together with a fork or whisk and set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat the butter on high until smooth using a handheld or stand mixer. Add in the sugar and mix for 1-2 minutes, until the butter and sugar have fully come together. Add in the egg, milk and vanilla extract. Mix for 30 seconds until combined.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients by adding a little, mixing it in and then adding some more until the wet and dry ingredients have been combined.
- Add in the chopped cherries and gently fold in until fully incorporated.
- Evenly pour the batter into the liners up to about 2/3 full and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Important: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting
- In a large bowl, add the butter and cream cheese. Mix together until completely smooth using a handheld or stand mixer.
- Add in the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and pinch of salt. Mix together for about 30 seconds, until combined.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in the powdered sugar by adding a little, mixing it in and then adding some more until the wet and dry ingredients have been combined.
- Frost the cupcakes and garnish with some more ground cinnamon if desired.
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