Black Forest Cupcakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl, then pour hot water over chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Transfer bowl to refrigerator and chill 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through chilling, until cooled (or 10 in freezer stirring once).

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together canola oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla.

Pour chocolate mixture into oil mixture and stir until well combined, then add flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

Divide batter evenly among 12 paper lined muffin cups (about 1/4 cup in each). Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 17 - 19 minutes. Allow cupcakes to cool in baking tin several minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Cut a hole in the centers of each cupcake (big enough to fit 1 1/2 Tbsp filling, mine was slightly heaping out the top). Add about 1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp cherry pie filling to holes in cupcakes.

In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form.

Pipe whipped cream over cupcakes then top each with a cherry and garnish with finely chopped chocolate or sprinkles. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator, allow to rest at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.