Black Forest Cupcakes

The original recipe can be found here: Black Forest Cupcakes

You Will Need:

1. 1 box Devil's Food Cake mix 
2. 1 ⅓ cups of Black Cherry Soda
3. ½ cup of Vegetable Oil
4. 3 Eggs 
5. 2 teaspoons Cherry Juice 
6. A couple drops of Red Food Coloring 
7. 24 whole Maraschino Cherries
8. Vanilla Frosting 

To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, soda, vegetable oil, and eggs.
3. Using a mixer, combine all ingredients until batter is thoroughly mixed.
4. Pour batter into muffin cups and bake for 19 to 22 minutes.
5. Frost cupcakes after they have cooled completely. 

Changed: I used homemade butter-cream instead of buying vanilla frosting. Butter-cream is actually similar in calories to the store-bought container, but it tastes much better! I follow a Quick Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe, but instead of three cups confectioner's sugar, I use only about two and a half. It's best to taste the frosting prior to adding more sugar so it doesn't become too sweet. I also add a pinch of salt, some red food coloring, and some cherry juice. This makes the frosting tastier and more appropriate for these cupcakes!

Quick Tip: When making the frosting, be sure to beat the butter for at least three minutes before adding the sugar. You want light and fluffy, so if any clumps or big pieces remain, you haven't mixed enough. 

The Verdict: If you are looking for a quick, effortless treat, this is a perfect choice. The frosting may be the only part that requires a bit of time (especially topping the cupcakes), so if you're running short on time, simply use store-bought frosting. 

The Calories: around 240 calories per cupcake (in a batch of 24)