Germany- Black Forest Cupcakes

A Little History:

Black Forest gateau (or Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte) is not actually named after the Black Forest region, but a liquor made in the area known as Schwarzwälder Kirsch which is made from tart cherries (yum!). The black forest cake was first mentioned in writing in 1934 and a traditional cake includes cherries, cream, liqueur and chocolate cake. 

Ingredients:

• 250 grams 70% dark chocolate broken into pieces
• 150 grams unsalted butter
• 6 large eggs
• 175 grams caster sugar
• 75 grams ground almonds
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 200 milliliters double cream
• 1 vanilla pod, cut lengthways and scraped out, please keep the pod as well!
• zest and juice of one orange
• 250 grams of frozen black forest fruits

1. Preheat the oven 180 degrees celsius  350 F/ gas 4. Line a muffin tray with cupcake/ muffin cases, I chose purple cases as it looked nice with the fruit plus purple is my favorite colour! 

2. Put your chocolate into the microwave for two minutes, stop the microwave when one minute into the cycle and stir, this allows the heat to spread equally and also prevents the chocolate burning, then add the butter and mix until all the butter has melted. This is the hardest step, do not eat the chocolate, put it on the side to cool.

3. Whisk the eggs until pale and thick, it is really important that you beat the eggs well as this is where the air for the cakes comes from. Then add 125 grams of the caster sugar, the ground almonds and the flour (add these around the sides of the egg mixture so it less likely to knock the air out) and stir with a large metal spoon, then, again around the sides, add the chocolate and fold in the mixture. If you have eaten the chocolate, shame on you! If I can avoid eating the chocolate so can you! 

4. Divide the mixture into the cases and pop in the oven for 16- 20 minutes, they should be springy when done, to check to see if the cakes are done, pop a skewer in the centre of a cake and it should come out clean. Once done, place the cakes on a wire rack and wait to cool completely.

5. Scrape out the seeds of the vanilla pod (keep the pod for later!) and add to the cream, then beat the living daylights out the cream until it forms soft peaks.

6. Add the orange zest and juice, vanilla pod, sugar and frozen fruits to a pan and bring up the boil, this will take about 10 minutes, strain the fruit from the syrup and place the syrup back on the boil for a few minutes and reduce until thick. Leave to cool.

7. Scoop out a 10p sized spoonful from the middle of the cup cake, take a teaspoon of the fruit, then a dollop of cream and then add a drizzle of syrup. Repeat this process on every cup cake until you have run out of cake. Tuck in and enjoy! 

These cupcakes are great for a party or a barbeque, plus you can vary the amount of fruit and cream you add, for example, I am not a huge fan of cream and cake, so I add less cream on some and more fruit. This is also a great alternative to a giant creamy cake as you can vary the amount you eat and they are easier to clean up.

I'm finished in Germany, so I will shaking over to one of my favorite places in the world, Spain! I will be making some yummy churros (which is also one of my favorite foods!) please keep sharing and baking!!!! XX


Thanks to Jamie Oliver for the recipe!!! :) X