Blackforest Cupcakes

For the cherry liqueur:
Pit the Cherries. In a heavy bottom saucepan, cook the cherries with the sugar, brandy, lemon juice. Cook it for about 10 mins on low heat. If its not thick enough you can add a teaspoon of corn flour/ corn starch slowly. Let it cook for another minute or two. Once cooked, let cool. Reserve cherries.

For the cupcakes:
Melt the dark chocolate either over a pan with simmering water or in the microwave and let it cool. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Line the muffin tin with 12 standard size cupcake liners.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time. Pour in the dark chocolate and espresso and mix well. Sift in the flour, baking powder and the cocoa powder. Once completely mixed, add the cherry liqueur until it incorporates in the batter.

Fill in the cupcake liners up to 2/3rd or use an ice scoop to fill,1 scoopful of batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking at about 18 minutes. Once baked, let them cool on a cooling rack.

For the whipped cream frosting:
Whip the cream until soft peaks form, and add the vanilla. Whip it for a little longer until you get the consistency you like.

Core out centers of the cooled cupcakes, fill them up with the cherries that were cooked with the cherry liqueur. Frost them with the whipped cream frosting. Add a cherry on the top and enjoy.