Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Ripe, juicy cherries hangout inside of sweet, buttery cupcakes studded with mini chocolate chips and topped with fluffy vanilla bean buttercream. Cherry chocolate chip cupcakes are about to be your favorite summer treat.

Cherries have been my summer love this year. I’ve been keeping a bowl of freshly-washed cherries stocked in the fruit drawer at all times. Every time I open the fridge, I pluck a few of the sweet, red orbs from the bowl.

By the time I’m finished munching, the pads of my fingers are a deep shade of red.

The cherries have been extra sweet this year. So sweet, in fact, that I’ve traded my usual dark chocolate covered almonds for the candy-like fruit.

Cherries are also the perfect fruit for playing fun picnic games. I like to play a little game called “Spit the Pit.” Here’s how it’s played: You’ll need at least two people to play the game, so grab yourself a pit-spitting partner. Pop a cherry in your mouth and dig out the pit. Then, proceed to launch the pit from your mouth with every ounce of jaw power. The person who launches the pit the farthest wins.

Yes, it’s juvenile.

Yes, I’m thirty.

Yes, you’ll find me on the lawn spitting cherry pits with the rest of my weird siblings.

It’s summer fun for all ages.

I was able to spare a few cherries for these cherry chocolate chip cupcakes for the celebration of Sally’s upcoming marriage to her number one taste tester, Kevin. The theme for Sally’s shower is, of course, sprinkles–her favorite!

I couldn’t help but notice that cherries are bright red and heart-shaped–completely appropriate for the occasion. To match the red cherries, I added a healthy sprinkle of red and white jimmies.

You guys are going to love this recipe. Why? For starters, these cupcakes are going to rock your world. Second, the batter comes together in one bowl with one whisk. No mixer needed!

Excuse me while I interrupt this post to day dream about these cupcakes.

I used melted butter instead of softened butter for this recipe. The result is a super moist, tender cupcake. It’s the kind of cupcake that melts in your mouth as you chew. The use of melted butter makes for an easier batter. One bowl. Less dishes.

You know you like the sound of that.

I also added sour cream to the batter. Not only does the sour cream add moisture, it adds a slight tang to the batter.

Since these are cherry chocolate chip cupcakes, they wouldn’t be complete without loads of pitted cherries and mini chocolate chips. Yes, you have to pit cherries, but you only have to pit enough for half a cup.

May I suggest a cherry pitter? My life changed when I received my oxo cherry pitter. Life before my pitter was messy–well, messier than usual. I’m talking cherry-splattered walls and clothes, red stains on my cutting board, and cherry juice on the dog. It pains me just thinking about it.

Wait…it gets better. I added a swirl of fluffy vanilla bean buttercream to each and every cupcake. Let that sink in.

Print Recipe

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Moist, tender cupcakes loaded with pitted cherries and mini chocolate chips with a swirl of fluffy vanilla bean buttercream.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20-22 minutes

Ingredients:

Wet: 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream (full fat)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

Dry: 

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup (about 14) pitted cherries, chopped

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Vanilla Bean Buttercream:

1 and 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room-temperature

2 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

2 tablespoons heavy cream

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar until combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until just incorporated. Whisk in sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

Add the dry ingredients right on top of the wet ingredients. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in the chopped cherries and mini chocolate chips.

Fill each tin 2/3 full with batter. I find it easiest to use a 1/4-cup cookie scoop. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs are okay). Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream:  

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Turn the mixer down to low and gradually add the powdered sugar to the bowl, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl every few minutes. Once all the sugar has been added, turn the speed up to medium and beat for 2 minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in the vanilla bean paste. Give the mixture a few good turns. Turn the speed down to low and slowly drizzle in the heavy cream. Once all of the heavy cream has been added, turn the speed up to medium and whip for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it one more good whip.

Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag attached with a round #14 tip. Or, you can skip the piping bag and add your buttercream to the cupcakes with a cake spatula or butter knife. If you’re using a piping bag, pipe a swirl of frosting on top of each cupcake. Top with colorful sprinkles.

All images and text ©One Sweet Mess.

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