Black Forest Cupcakes

In a medium saucepan, stir the cornstarch into the water (or cherry juice) until it's completely smooth with no lumps — this is called a slurry, and mixing it before adding heat is what keeps the filling from getting clumpy later. Add the cherries and sugar and set the pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the cherries soften and the mixture turns thick and glossy, like a thin jam that coats the back of a spoon when you dip it in — this usually takes 7–10 minutes once it comes to a simmer. Don't worry about hitting an exact time; just keep cooking and stirring until it looks thick like that. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla and almond extract, if using. Let the filling cool to room temperature before you fill the cupcakes — you can leave it on the counter, or cool it faster in the fridge if you're short on time. This can also be made up to 3 days ahead and kept in the fridge in a sealed container.

Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt until there are no cocoa lumps left.

Make sure your melted butter has cooled to just warm, not hot, so it doesn't start cooking the eggs when you whisk them together. In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla together until smooth. Add about half of the flour mixture and stir gently, then add the milk and the rest of the flour mixture, mixing just until combined. Don't overmix the batter or the cupcakes will turn out tough and dry instead of soft — I learned this the hard way after over-stirring my first batch while I was on the phone.

Divide the batter evenly between the liners, filling each about halfway (roughly 1/4 cup / 60ml per cupcake, but let "halfway" be your guide since liners vary). Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly when you press them. A few moist crumbs on a toothpick inserted in the center are ideal; a completely clean toothpick usually means the cupcakes are fully baked too, but they may come out slightly less moist. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely before filling — cupcakes that are even a little warm will melt the whipped cream.

Add the cold water to a small microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let it sit for 3–5 minutes to bloom, then microwave in short 5-second bursts, checking each time, until it's fully dissolved and clear (this can take anywhere from 5–15 seconds depending on your microwave). Set it aside to cool until barely warm but still fluid and pourable. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the gelatin mixture, then turn the speed back up to medium and whip until stiff peaks form. Watch it closely near the end — overwhipped cream turns grainy and separates fast.

Use a cupcake corer to remove a small section from the center of each cooled cupcake (no corer? A small paring knife works too — cut a circle down into the center without going all the way through, then lift it out with a spoon). Spoon in about a tablespoon of the cooled cherry filling. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream generously on top — a piping bag with a large round tip gives you the classic swirl, but a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off works just as well if you don't have one. Finish with a fresh cherry and a scattering of dark chocolate shavings. Serve right away, or chill until ready to serve.