Simple Chocolate Cupcakes with Cherries

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BATTER

• 1
  Preheat oven with top and bottom heat to 175°C and prepare muffin liners in a muffin tin.
• 2
  If using cherries in syrup, strain the cherries through a sieve (let them drain) and reserve the syrup.
• 3
  Place 115 g of chocolate in a plastic bowl and slowly melt in the microwave (in 15-second intervals, stirring after each) or melt in a bowl over a bain-marie.
• 4
  Weigh the cherry syrup and pour it into a saucepan. If necessary, add water to reach a total liquid weight of 200 g (if you don't have cherries in syrup but are using frozen or fresh ones, simply use 200 g of water in total), add butter and melt over low heat on the stove.
• 5
  Stir the melted chocolate into the butter mixture and remove from the stove. Let it cool slightly.
• 6
  In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and mix well. Stir in buttermilk or kefir, and finally the eggs.
• 7
  Stir 50 g of chopped chocolate into the prepared batter and divide the batter with a spoon or small ladle into the prepared liners. Do not fill them about 1 cm below the top edge.
• 8
  Place a few cherries into each liner (distribute them so that there are enough for all muffins).
• 9
  Bake for 30 minutes on the middle rack of the oven or until a skewer inserted comes out clean (max. with crumbs). Let cool completely.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FROSTING

• 1
  Melt 250 g of chopped dark chocolate in the microwave.
• 2
  Place the cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• 3
  Pour the cream over the chocolate, let stand for 1 minute, then stir until smooth with a spatula. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes (or until it reaches a creamy consistency), stirring occasionally to ensure even setting. Do not leave it in the refrigerator for too long, so it doesn't become too firm to pipe onto the muffins. If it becomes too firm, let it soften in the microwave (heat for a maximum of 15 seconds at a time and stir) and then let it set again.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FINISHING CUPCAKES

• 1
  Place the cream into a piping bag with a star tip and pipe a small rosette onto each cupcake, moving in a circular motion from the center outwards. If you don't have piping tips, you can simply spread the cream with a spoon or an ice cream scoop.
• 2
  You can decorate with chopped nuts, freeze-dried or fresh fruit, or edible flowers.