Cherry Cordial Cupcakes

Happy Valentine's Day!!! Oh, wait a minute... I'm a day late! But guess what? These cupcakes are too yummy not to share, regardless of what day it is!

So this flavor combo may be overdone, but it's probably overdone for a reason - WHAT - just WHAT can possibly be wrong with chocolate covered cherries? I mean, seriously? These cupcakes may sound complicated, but they are super easy. Start with your favorite chocolate cake recipe - I used Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge just because I was pressed for time and to top it off, it's really delicious. :) I added marshmallow fluff to pitted maraschino cherries, popped them in the cupcake, topped them with ganache, and finished with a sweet cherry Swiss meringue butter cream. These are super fun to make!

Here's what you will need:
Favorite chocolate cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge)

For filling:
1-2 jars of pitted jumbo (if available) maraschino cherries, drained (reserve liquid for the Swiss meringue butter cream)
1 7.5 jar of Marshmallow Fluff

For ganache:
6 oz semi-sweet or Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup of whipping cream

1.) Line 2 regular muffin pans with cupcake liners and prepare mix, fill liners, and bake your favorite chocolate cake recipe as directed, usually 18 minutes at 350, depending on your oven.
2.) While cupcakes bake, prepare cherries by stuffing them with Marshmallow Fluff, either using a disposable decorator bag, or piping out of the end of a snipped sandwich bag. Set aside.
3.) Place chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl. Heat up 1/2 cup of whipping cream just until boiling and pour over chocolate chips, whisking until thoroughly incorporated for your ganache; set aside, and let cool for about 10 minutes.
4.) While your cupcakes are cooling, start working on your Swiss meringue butter cream. Make sure you wipe your mixing bowl, whisk, and flat beater attachments with a paper towel and some lemon juice in order to cut any lingering grease. Add your egg whites and sugar into the bowl, and set over a pot of simmering water, whisking constantly. If you have a thermometer, continue until you reach 160 degrees. If not, keep whisking until all the sugar is dissolved and your egg whites are hot.
3.) Transfer your bowl to your mixer and with the whisk attachment, beat until the meringue is glossy, about 10 minutes, and the bowl is cooler to the touch. Switch over to the flat beater and add your butter cubes one by one until well blended and the meringue is smooth.
4.) Add the cherry juice slowly, cherry extract, and pinch of salt until blended. You may have to refrigerate the butter cream for about 15-20 minutes to help solidify.
5.) With a small spoon or cupcake corer, made a hole in the center of the cupcake. Fill each hole with a cherry, and spoon ganache over each cherry, or put ganache in a disposable decorator bag or sandwich bag with the tip snipped off for ease of topping the cherries. I used a decorator bag and filled each hole to the top. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes.
6.) Frost your cupcakes and drizzle with leftover ganache and top with a cherry.
Make sure to keep cupcakes refrigerated, I had some butter cream sliding off a cupcake after I was done with the photos. :) 

Now go bake something and spread the cherrylicious YUM!!! 

XOXO,
Diana

As always, I appreciate your comments, questions, thoughts, and ideas!