Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Perfect for Valentine's Day! These are deeelicious... but then again I love any cupcake paired with whipped cream and chocolate sauce! The original recipe is "Choc 'n' Cherry Cupcakes" from 500 Cupcakes by Fergal Connolly, but I changed it because I didn't have fresh cherries or cherry liqueur. They're perfect!

ingredients...Yummy batter! Ready for the oven... the empty cups are filled with water.
TADA!!Happy Valentine's Day!

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes (If you'd like the original, I'll scan it for you!)

For the cupcakes
(Makes 20-24)
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
4 tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used 2 tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark and 2 tbsp. regular Hershey's cocoa)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped marascino cherries (I used a food processor to chop them finely)

For the topping
1 1/2 cups heavy cream + 1/4 cup (for chocolate drizzle)
3 tbsp. confectioners' sugar, sifted
20-24 maraschino cherries + 2 tbsp maraschino juice (or you could use cherry flavored liqueur for a stronger cherry taste)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325F (160C). Place 20-24 paper baking cups in muffin pans. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Set aside. Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the flour mixture and the cherries, and stir until well combined. Spoon
the batter into the cups filling them 2/3 to 3/4 full (I got 20 big cupcakes using a 1/3 cup scoop, could've gotten 24 if I'd used 1/4 cup batter). Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove pans from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and cool on a rack.

For the topping, bring 1/4 cup heavy cream to a boil using the stove or microwave. Pour over the chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minuets. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters, whip the cream and confectioners' sugar together until slightly stiff. Gently stir in maraschino juice. Spread whipped cream generously on cupcakes. Place a cherry in the center and drizzle chocolate on top.
Keep refrigerated.