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A tray of frosted cupcakes with cherry topping on a checkered cloth.

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes Recipe

Learn how to make the best chocolate cherry cupcakes with pie filling and buttercream!

Course desserts
Cuisine American
Keyword cherry chocolate cupcakes, chocolate cherry cupcakes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings 15
Author momma lew

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 3/4 cup White Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 cup Buttermilk
  • 2 Eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Boiling Water
  • 12 oz Can Cherry Pie Filling

Frosting:

  • 1 cup Butter softened at room temperature
  • 4-5 cups Powdered Icing Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Line two muffin trays with 15 cupcake liners. Set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat together the sugars, oil, vanilla extract and buttermilk for 2 minutes until well combined and sugar appears dissolved.
  5. Beat in the eggs, followed by the flour mixture.
  6. Add the boiling water and carefully beat to combine.
  7. Portion out the cupcake batter into the prepared liners, filling each 2/3 of the way full.
  8. Bake for 18-22 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  9. While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. Beat together the butter, powdered icing sugar and cocoa powder for 2 minutes until well combined.
  10. Add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract and salt. Beat until buttercream frosting has a thick, smooth texture that holds still peaks.
  11. Adjust the flavor or texture with additional powdered icing sugar, cocoa powder or heavy cream, as needed.
  12. Scoop the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Set aside.
  13. Use a cupcake corer to remove about 1 to 1 1/2" out of the center of each cupcake. Fill with a tablespoon or so of cherry pie filling.
  14. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, starting in the center, working your way out to the edges and then back towards the center and up.
  15. Scoop the excess cherry pie filling (without the cherries) into a piping bag and drizzle over the frosted cupcakes.
  16. Garnish each cupcake with a few of the remaining cherries.

Recipe Notes

Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Let them come to room temp before serving for the best texture.