Black Forest Cupcakes

Ingredients:
15 oz can pitted cherries (sweet) in syrup
4 oz bittersweek (dark) eating chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 1/2 oz butter, coarsely chopped
11 oz (aka1 1/3 cup) of superfine (castor) sugar
2/14 fl oz (aka 1/4 cup) cherry brandy
5 oz (aka 1 cup) all-purpose plain flour
2 tablespoons self-rising flour
1 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 egg

decoration
2/3 cup thickened cream, whipped
2 tsp cherry brandy
Shavings of bittersweet dark eating chocolate.

1. Preheat oven to 335 degree F
2. Line a 12 cupcake pan, with cupcake papers
3. Drain cherries and reserve the syrup
4. Take 1/2 cup of cherries and 1/2 of syrup and process in a food processor until smooth.
5. Cut the remaining cherries in half and reserve. Discard the remaining syrup
6. Place the chocolate, butter, sugar, brandy, and cherry puree into a saucepan. Cook over a low heat. Stir until chocolate and butter has melted.
7. Pour into a large bowl and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
8. Sift flours and cocoa.
9. Whisk in sifted flours and cocoa.
10. Whisk in egg.
11. Divide mixture evenly between cupcake holes. You will probably find that they fill the cases close to the top. (don't worry, they don't rise a lot)
12. Bake for 40-45 minutes until firm to touch
13. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Decorate
1. allow cupcakes to cool completely.
2. Mix brandy into the whipped cream
3. Top each cake with some of the remaining cherry halves
4. Top each cake with some of the cream
5. Using a vegetable peeler, scrape along side a block of chocolate to create curls. Sprinkle on each cake.

This recipe comes from http://www.cupcake-creations.com