Merry Kirschmas

My friend Gemma's birthday is on Boxing Day and we always meet up on Christmas Eve for a few drinks to celebrate as none of us are in a fit state on Boxing Day.

This year she asked for some Black Forest Gateau cupcakes and who was I to refuse.

Firstly I soaked some tinned cherries overnight in lashings of Kirsch. I used Mary Berry's Devils Food Cake recipe for the cupcakes as it's very easy to make and results in a moist, dark, flavoursome cupcake.  When the cupcakes were cooled I used my apple corer to make a little well, and stuffed the cupcakes with the boozy cherries, and drizzled a rather generous amount of kirsch over the top of the cupcakes. This meant the cakes were very moist, but thankfully they remained very tasty - I had worried the Kirsch was so strong it would overpower the cakes.

I had thought of topping the cupcakes with some chocolate frosting, and then some whipped cream, but after enquiring on Twitter I was encouraged to cover in only whipped cream which is more traditional. I had thought of adding more kirsch to the cream when whipping but I thought the cakes were boozy enough. I did however add some vanilla bean paste to the cream - mainly because I can't resist adding vanilla to most things! I piped the cream onto the cooled, stuffed cupcakes then used my cheese slicer to get create some chocolate shavings from a bar of Green and Blacks Dark 70% chocolate which I then tumbled all over the cream. I was going to top the cake with a fresh cherry but couldn't find any so settled on a bit Green and Blacks Cherry chocolate. As Gemma is a fan of anything black (she even buys black loo roll) I sprinkled some black glitter over the cakes as well, which although you can't really see here, looked fabulous.

I tried one after they were 'frosted' and they were very boozy. I honestly felt rather tipsy after just one. Perfect! The alcohol soaked in overnight as the cupcakes were stored in the fridge and the harshness of the Kirsch disappeared leaving behind a lovely moist, ultra booze soaked cupcake.

Gemma loved the cupcakes and as soon as we arrived she scoffed one while taking them upstairs to the fridge, and she emailed me to say they scoffed the rest for Christmas morning breakfast.

I'd definitely make these again, maybe next time I'd do it when cherries are in season as I wasn't too keen on the tinned cherries.

I had some whipped cream left at the end of piping so I made Manny an extra special cupcake just for him! 

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas, and Santa was good to y'all. I got lots of lovely gifts, and shall post about them as soon as I get some pics! 

I had planned to post this on Christmas day but alas we a bit too much fun on Christmas Eve (damn you Jager Bombs) and I could barely type never mind start blogging!