These Dark Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes have a texture more akin to a muffin, hence the title. They aren’t what I had originally had in mind. I was attempting to see if I could get a cake red enough naturally colored with cherry juice to pass as red velvet. It quickly became apparent, that was just not going to fly, so I took a left turn to Wonkaville, and really chocolated these babies up.
Like many of my pastries over the past year or so, this one features a generous quality of oat flour. This is easily made in the food processor, and the remaining dry ingredients, get mixed right in the processor bowl, so you aren’t making extra mess. I’ve found this heart healthy addition, improves moistness. The cakes, muffins and quick breads I’ve made in this way also tend to be more filling.
The frosting was added to the ones in the picture above for my little girl. I ate them without frosting, as muffins instead.
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup cherry juice pure, no added juices
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
- 2 oz. dark chocolate chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pulse the oats in food processor until flour-like in consistency.
- Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Pulse to mix.
- In a mixing bowl, combine juice, eggs, oil, milk, vanilla and honey. Beat well.
- Add the dry ingredients from food processor, and mix well.
- Fold in the cherries and chocolate, until evenly distributed.
- Spoon into lined muffin tins, 80% full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until pick pulls clean from center.
Now if you choose to frost these…
Cherry Frosting
Ingredients
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 c. Crisco
- 1/4 cup cherry juice plus a little more if needed
Instructions
- Warm the Crisco until soft, it is O.K. if some or even all of it melts.
- Simply beat the ingredients together well.
Notes
Nutrition
Jennifer says
I can’t eat cherries but I like cherry tasting things, weird huh? These look absolutely amazing and I can’t wait to taste that frosting!
Marcie W. says
I love chocolate and cherries together and these look absolutely stunning!!
Lisa - Between the Kids says
Those looks so good!
Tricia Nightowlmama says
my stomach is growling looks so tasty
Heather says
droooool these look amazing!!
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
Those are absolutely beautiful, Robin! I want, I want
Emily @FamilyNLifeLV says
Sinful! Yum! I’ll take two!
Elaina- A Time Out for Mommy says
It’s a snowday in NYC today.. I’m totally going to try and make these with my toddler!
Maryann says
such a classic (and popular ) flavor combination!
Fiona Maclean says
We don’t have crisco here, but I might try adapting this as I do love chocolate and cherry as a flavour combination
Laura Jane says
Where do you get Cherry juice?
Robin Gagnon says
Whole Foods carries Cheribundi in the health aisle, and in the juice aisle they have several brands of juice, as well as concentrate.
Anne says
I’ve been watching Cupcake wars and now I have to make these..