I love Black Forest cake, but these Black Forest Cupcakes are even better! I packed all the great flavor of the classic German dessert into a single-serve cupcake for the ultimate easy and shareable sweet treat. These cupcakes are made easy with chocolate cake mix, store-bought cherry pie filling, and a simple stabilized whipped cream frosting made with none other than pudding mix!
My Black Forest cake cupcakes are a great mini version of a classic dessert. I fill chocolate cupcakes with cherry pie filling, then top them with homemade frosting and chocolate shavings. It makes for a show-stopping dessert for holidays and parties of all kinds.
What’s in This Black Forest Cupcakes Recipe?
- Chocolate Cake Mix: Makes these cupcakes super easy to throw together.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture to the cupcakes.
- Eggs: Give the cupcakes structure and richness.
- Cherry Pie Filling: Store-bought canned pie filling is an easy way to get a punch of cherry flavor in these cupcakes, but you could use homemade cherry pie filling too!
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Forms the base of the frosting.
- White Chocolate Pudding Mix: Gives the frosting structure and flavor. Make sure to use instant pudding mix, not cook and serve.
- Cherries: I like to top my cupcakes with Bing cherries, but Luxardo or maraschino also work well.
- Chocolate: I shaved a chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler to create beautiful shards of chocolate.
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How to Store and Reheat
Whether these Black Forest cake cupcakes are frosted or unfrosted, they will keep well for 2 days before they start to dry out. Store them in an airtight container to keep them as fresh as possible. You can also freeze the unfilled, unfrosted cupcakes for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely before freezing in a freezer-safe container. Thaw at room temperature.
Tips for Success
- I like to make the cupcakes a day ahead of time to make sure that they are fully cooled before adding the cherry filling and the frosting.
- There’s nothing worse than a dried-out cupcake! Follow these steps to make sure you have the perfect bite each time:
1. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting them.
2. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
3. Enjoy within 2 days.
Black Forest Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 13.25 ounces chocolate cake mix (1 box)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
For the Filling
- 1 cup cherry pie filling
For the Frosting
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 3.3 ounces white chocolate instant pudding mix (1 box)
For the Toppings
- 1 chocolate bar shaved
- 12 bing cherries stemless and pitted (from 1 jar)
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Cupcake Tin
- Hand Mixer
- Piping Tip Set
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-count cupcake tin with cupcake wrappers or spray the wells with a nonstick baking spray.13.25 ounces chocolate cake mix, 1 cup water, ½ cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs
- Mix the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs together in a bowl until smooth.
- Scoop batter into each of the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ of the way full. Bake for 17-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely before moving onto the filling.
For the Filling
- To fill the cupcakes, use a knife and carve out a shallow well from the center of the cupcake. Don’t go down too far or the filling will make a mess. (You could also use a melon baller or spoon.) Fill each of the wells with the cherry pie filling. (I was able to fit 3-4 cherries into each cupcake) Set aside to prepare the frosting.1 cup cherry pie filling
For the Frosting
- To start, place a stainless steel mixing bowl into the freezer for 20-30 minutes before preparing the frosting.
- Once chilled, add the heavy cream to the bowl and use a hand mixer to mix on high just until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Don’t overmix.2 cups heavy whipping cream
- Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until it comes together, stopping just before it starts to form stiff peaks, about 1 minute.⅓ cup powdered sugar
- Add the pudding mix and continue mixing on a low speed for another 30 seconds, just until it’s all combined. Take care not to overmix, as the frosting can quickly curdle.3.3 ounces white chocolate instant pudding mix
- Scoop the frosting into a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip (I used a Wilton 1M tip). Frost the cupcakes as desired.
- For the chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler and run it along the side of a chocolate bar. Top with a bing cherry.12 bing cherries, 1 chocolate bar
Notes
How To Make – Step-by-Step
Mix the Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-count cupcake tin with cupcake wrappers or spray the wells with a nonstick baking spray. Mix 13.25 ounces (1 box) of chocolate cake mix, 1 cup of water, ½ cup of vegetable oil, and 3 large eggs together in a bowl until smooth.
Bake the Cupcakes: Scoop batter into each of the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ of the way full. Bake for 17-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely before moving onto the filling.
Fill the Cupcakes: To fill the cupcakes, use a knife and carve out a shallow well from the center of the cupcake. Don’t go down too far or the filling will make a mess. (You could also use a melon baller or spoon.) Fill each of the wells with a small amount of the 1 cup of cherry pie filling. (I was able to fit 3-4 cherries into each cupcake) Set aside to prepare the frosting.
Whip the Cream: To start, place a stainless steel mixing bowl into the freezer for 20-30 minutes before preparing the frosting. Once chilled, add 2 cups of heavy cream to the bowl and mix on high just until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Don’t overmix.
Stabilize the Frosting: Add ⅓ cup of powdered sugar and continue mixing until it comes together, stopping just before it starts to form stiff peaks, about 1 minute. Add 3.3 ounces (1 box) of white chocolate instant pudding mix and continue mixing on a low speed for another 30 seconds, just until it’s all combined. Take care not to overmix, as the frosting can quickly curdle.
Frost the Cupcakes: Scoop the frosting into a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip (I used a Wilton 1M tip). Frost the cupcakes as desired. For the chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler and run it along the side of a chocolate bar. Top each cupcake with a bing cherry.
It’s a great recipe but I fill the cups 1/3 full then add a spoonful of cherry pie filling. Then I add more batter. I bake as directed. Sooooo good.
Thanks so much for sharing what worked for you, Kim!