If you love Black Forest Cake you are going to fall head over heels in love with these Easy Black Forest Cupcakes for two reasons. One they are so easy to make. Two they make the most perfect Valentines Day Cupcakes ever.
Awhile back when I was shopping at Walmart I came across a box of Pillsbury Chocolate Cherry Cake mix. Right next to that box of Chocolate Cherry cake mix was a jar of Duncan Hines Cherry Fruit Topping.
I don't know how many other people had the same idea as me but I am going to guess it was quite a few because there was only 2 boxes of cake mix left and I grabbed the last jar of cherry topping.
UPDATED: Chocolate Cherry Cake Mix and Cool Whip Frosting have been discontinued. See the recipe directions below for the updated directions.
How to make these Easy Black Forest Cupcakes
All you need to make these Easy Black Forest Cupcakes is the ingredients you see above along with the cake mix ingredients which are 3 eggs, 1 cup of water and ½ cup of oil.
I fancied mine up a bit by adding a black swirl to the Cool Whip Frosting which makes them look pretty but has no effect on the delicious flavor of these black forest cupcakes.
Let's talk about the Cool Whip Frosting a bit..... Before I used Cool Whip Frosting for the first time for some celebratory cupcakes for my granddaughter Hailey I usually made homemade frosting.
Don't get me wrong. I would use canned frosting in a pinch and I always use canned frosting when I make Cake Pops but I can't properly express to you how much I love the Vanilla Cool Whip Frosting.
It has the same creamy, light and fluffy texture of cool whip topping but is thick enough to frost cupcakes or cakes. It works great when you need to color and frost a Rainbow Jello Poke Cake. I also used it when I made a Retro Strawberry Jello Poke Cake for #SundaySupper .
If you love vintage recipes you know that back in the day Cool Whip Topping was used to frost Jello Poke Cakes and Pudding Poke Cakes. The Cool Whip Frosting works so much better than regular Cool Whip topping. I can only imagine how all those vintage cake recipes melted when frosted with plain Cool Whip topping.
A few years ago I made a Decadent Black Forest Cake. For that Black Forest Cake I made a homemade frosting that was delicious but a big process to make. The Cool Whip frosting would have been perfect for that recipe but back then Cool Whip Frosting didn't exist.
To make these Easy Black Forest Cupcakes you are going to follow the directions on the box of Pillsbury Cake mix to make cupcakes. You can line the cupcake tin with holiday cupcake papers if you like. Bake according to the box. Cool the cupcakes completely.
Fill the black forest cupcakes with about a teaspoon of cherry filling by cutting out the center of the cupcake. Spoon the filling in and replace the piece of cupcake you removed. Frost as desired. Top with a cherry and serve.
For more detailed instructions on How To Fill Cupcakes I've written a post to show you how I fill cupcakes. There are step by step photos showing how to fill a cupcake. I know I like some visuals when I am learning a new process.
Enjoy!
Easy Black Forest Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 box Pillsbury Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make)
- 1 can Cherry pie filling
- 8 ounce container Kraft Cool Whip
- 1 can vanilla frosting
Instructions
- Prepare the cake mix as directed on the box.
- Put a cupcake paper in each well of a cupcake pan and fill ¾ full of cake mix.
- Bake in a 350 F. degree preheated oven for 15 minutes or when the center of the cupcakes spring back.
- Cool cupcakes completely.
- Remove the center of each cupcake and fill with Cherry Pie Filling. Replace the piece of cupcake you removed.
- In a medium bowl with a hand mixer beat the entire can of frosting into the Cool Whip until smooth and creamy.
- Spread the frosting over the top of each cupcake.
- Garnish with a cherry on top.
Recipe Expert Tips
Nutrition
Yogita
Awesome cake, Just superb.I Usually buy birthday cakes from Monginis cake shop, but this time I am going to try this cake at home. Thanks for the recipe Arlene.
Arlene Mobley
Thank you Yogita
sylvie
What a good idea to turn black forest cake into individual cupcakes! Love both cupcakes and black forest cake and I'm newly obsessed with this idea now!
Arlene Mobley
Sylvie
Thank you! Black Forest is delish no matter what shape it is in!
Neyssa
This is PERFECT! Wow, thank you for sharing. I LOVE black forest cake (even had it at my wedding). Plus, this is super cute, my daughters would love to help make this! Thank you for sharing, will pin. Stopping by from TW link-up!
Arlene Mobley
Thank you Neyssa!
Heather @ My Sweet Mission
Arlene, your cupcakes are so pretty and I bet they taste amazing! Thanks for linking up at Fluster's Creative Muster Party.
Heather
MySweetMission.net
Arlene Mobley
Heather
Thank you so much!
Raquel
Those look so cute! I could go for one right now! Love cupcakes!
Arlene Mobley
Raquel
Thank you so much!