These Black Forest Cupcakes are made with a doctored chocolate cake mix then filled with cherry filling and topped with whipped vanilla cream frosting for a delightfully sweet treat perfect for any occasion!
Preheat oven to 375°F and line a cupcake pan with liners and set aside.
Combine all cupcake ingredients in a large stand mixer or bowl and beat until smooth.
Add about ¼ cup of batter to each liner, filling to about 1/2 - 3/4 full.
Reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 18-20 minutes or until fork comes clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
If using homemade cherry pie filling, use the baking time to prepare it, we like to use the filling from this Black Forest Cake recipe. Let cool to room temperature.
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat together the frosting ingredients on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. You want the mixture to be slightly stiffer than whipped cream but not overmixed to the point where it starts to become butter.
Core out the cooled cupcakes and add about 1 tablespoon of cherry filling to each of the cored cupcakes.
Pipe the vanilla frosting over the filling and around the rest of the cupcake.
Top with chocolate curls and cherries.
Notes
The cupcakes and filling can be prepared in advance but I recommend making and assembling the cupcakes within a few hours of consumption.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but note that the frosting will thicken and get a little gummy with time.
You can use homemade or storebought cherry pie filling or you can also use cherry sundae topping.