CHOCOLATE CHERRY CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BEAN FROSTING

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes With Vanilla Bean Frosting image

From Prevention magazine, January 2012 issue via the Detroit Free Press. Chocolatey, tart and yummy. I used the best chocolate and cocoa powder possible, and would double the frosting (or even just 1 1/2 times) recipe (last three ingredients). I used an ice cream scoop to portion the batter and got 19 nice sized cupcakes.

Provided by ChefCrittersMom

Categories Dessert

Time 12m

Yield 16 cupcakes, 1 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 cup dried cherries
1 cup water
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken (60% cocoa)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
4 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 vanilla beans, split
1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line 2 muffin pans with 16 paper liners.
In a small saucepan, combine cherries with water. Bring to a boil. Transfer mixture (cherries and water) to a food processor. Add cocoa, chocolate and butter, and pulse until combined. Cool 1 minute. Add brown sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, and puree until almost smooth.
Pulse in eggs until well combined. Whisk together flour and baking soda in a bowl and add to food processor. Pulse until just combined.
Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven until tops are slightly domed and firm to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool cupcakes in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on rack.
Scrape vanilla bean seeds into bowl. Add cream cheese and confectioners' sugar and beat well. Pipe or spread frosting on to cupcakes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 2241.6, Fat 89.1, SaturatedFat 48.5, Cholesterol 927.5, Sodium 2840.9, Carbohydrate 339.6, Fiber 30.2, Sugar 234.9, Protein 66.7