BLACK FOREST CUPCAKES

black forest cupcake with cherry pie filling

Am I the only foodie willing to admit to liking canned whipped cream?

You know...the aerosol whipping cream that you shake and the nitrous oxide aerates the cream, dispensing a frothy white mass much like shaving cream...

As a kid living on the East Side, during the summers of my formative years, I spent many hours catching grasshoppers, squirting spiders with water bottles and digging about in the huge tract of land my Motel-owning parents called the backyard. Wearing a cotton tank and shorts, I'd come inside from a full day playing in the sun. These were not the days when parents worried about applying sunblock on their children; nor did people fret so much about allowing their kids to play out in the yard or even the neighbourhood, alone. I'd grab from the old frost-encrusted freezer a little plastic cup of ice cream. These "sundaes" came with a bunch of wooden spoons that you'd use to scoop your ice cream. The flavour pack came with a variety of chocolate or strawberry swirl. My favourite of course was the chocolate. You'd peel off the waxed cardboard lid from the cup and lick off any ice-cream clinging before digging in.

The best part of all was licking the insides of the cup and sucking on the wooden spoon at the end. The woody taste would linger in my mouth and this I would forever associate with the flavours of summer. Once in a blue moon, I would have the opportunity to eat my ice cream sundae with whipped cream from an aerosol dispenser. Oh my. That was kiddie heaven.

Seeing those aerosol cans in the dairy section of the local Safeway, I was instantly reminded of those carefree childhood times.

Who didn't toss back their head and aim the nozzle straight into their mouth? at least once?

When I took my can of whipping cream to work, a colleague reminisced about how his group of friends used to hold the can upright, under their noses, dispensing just the nitrous oxide. You get the drift...they were left with a can of cream. But they had a few hoots. It was worth it. That, I never did try because well, what a waste of whipped cream!

the black forest cupcakes are so moist and the cherry pie filling so luscious



I figure summer treats should be easy to assemble, light and delicious. My Black Forest Cupcakes were so good. The cake recipe I used was from the Barefoot Contessa recipe I so often turn to. I used jumbo paper liners to make 24 cupcakes. I baked these for 25 minutes. The crumb is light, tender and moist. I cut out a large cone from the top of each cupcake before drizzling Kirsch inside. Then I scooped about a tablespoon of prepared cherry pie filling in each cupcake before placing the cupcake-cone tops back on.



the cherries are little red jewels of puckering sweetness



The cupcakes at this point can be refrigerated until you're ready to serve them. When you're ready to serve your cupcakes, you bring out the trusty old aerosol whipping cream and swirl a beautiful glob on the tops of the cupcakes. I sprinkled shaved dark chocolate over the whipped cream before serving. I suppose a whole maraschino cherry is not inappropriate either for a topping and would be so bling bling for this little cupcake.

CAKEBRAIN'S BLACK FOREST CUPCAKES

yield: 24 cupcakes

• 1 recipe Chocolate Cake batter (click for recipe here)
• Kirsch
• 1 can prepared cherry pie filling
• 1 aerosol can of whipping cream
• dark chocolate shavings, sprinkles or any other fun toppings
• maraschino cherries

Procedure:

1. Line 24 muffin tins with jumbo paper liners. Divide batter evenly between the 24 molds. Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees F for approximately 25 minutes, until done. Cool cupcakes on a rack.
2. Using a serrated knife, cut a cone of cake from the top of each cupcake. Reserve the cupcake cone for later. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of Kirsch into the cupcake hole and then spoon in about 1 Tablespoon of the cherry pie filling. In my case, I was able to just fit in 3 whole cherries per cupcake.
3. Place cupcake top back on top and press slightly to fit.
4. Refrigerate filled cupcakes until ready to serve. The whipping cream does not sit very well and will quickly melt if left too long before serving.
5. When you're ready to serve, shake the aerosol can vigorously and turn completely upside down, swirling the foam from outside in on the cupcake tops.
6. Sprinkle with dark chocolate shavings or whatever fun toppings you desire.
7. Serve immediately.