Cherry Swirl Brownie Cupcakes
#LetItSnow
INGREDIENTS
Brownie Cupcakes
75g plain flour
75g cocoa
300g castor sugar
300g butter
300g chocolate
6 eggs
500g jar pitted cherries (keep the syrup)
Cherry Syrup
Syrup from jar of cherries
1 cup sugar
Cheesecake Layer
250g cream cheese
¼ cup cream
1 egg
1 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup sugar
Frosting
1 batch swiss meringue buttercream frosting
Decorations
1 cup shaved dark chocolate
24 maraschino cherries
METHOD
Makes 24
Level: Medium
Cherry Syrup
Drain the jar of cherries in a large bowl and set the cherries aside. Add the cherry juice into a medium sized saucepan along with the sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and allow to simmer for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens to a syrup. Do not leave the syrup alone as it can burn very easily and quickly. Allow the syrup to cool completely. I’d recommend making the syrup the day before.
Cheesecake Filling
To prepare the cheesecake filling, add all the ingredients to a food processor and pricess until completely smooth. Make sure you stop the food processor to scrap the sides of the bowl down at least once.
Brownie Cupcakes
Begin by preheating your oven to 140C. Line a cupcake tin with brown white cupcake liners. Set aside.
Add sugar, butter and chocolate to a large microwave safe bowl and microwave for 20 seconds at a time, mixing each time until smooth.
Next add the flour, cocoa powder and eggs and stir until well combined.
Scoop the brownie batter into the cupcake liners, filling them just above halfway, then add about 1.5 tbsp of cheesecake filling on top, followed by the about 3-4 cherries. Bake for 60 minutes and allow to cool completely.
To prepare the frosting, split into two mixing bowls and add the completely cooled cherry syrup to one half. Mix until well combined.
Add cherry frosting to a piping bag and the vanilla to a second piping bag. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap on your workbench. Pipe lines of each frosting next to each other. Carefully wrap roll it up. Twist both ends. Snip one end off and insert it into a piping bag fitted with an open start piping tip. Frost a swirl of the two-tone frosting on the cupcakes. Sprinkle shaved chocolate on top and finish each one with a maraschino cherry.