Information

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups cherry cola flavored beverage
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp cherry extract

Frosting:

3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 egg whites
1/8 cup water
1/8 cup maraschino cherry juice
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cherry extract

Coating:

4 cups (24 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate
6 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

Directions

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake pans with 24 liners. Set aside.

Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In another medium size bowl stir together cola, cherry juice, oil, vinegar, vanilla, and cherry extract. Slowly add liquid mixture to the dry mixture and beat until just smooth. Scoop into cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting:

In a heatproof bowl, or the top of a double boiler, over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water, combine the sugar, egg whites, water, cherry juice and cream of tartar. With a hand mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute. Continue beating on low over low heat until frosting reaches 160° on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.

Pour into the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer; add extracts. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.

Place frosting in a large pastry bag and pipe onto cupcake, starting about an 1/8-inch from the edge of the cupcake, and spiraling up into a 2-inch high cone-shaped mound on top. Refrigerate while you are making the coating.

Coating:

In a heatproof bowl, or the top of a double boiler, over, but not touching, a saucepan of barely simmering water, stir together chocolate and oil until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Scrape the coating into a small bowl and cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

Holding each cupcake upside down by the bottom, dip the mound of frosting in the chocolate coating, covering completely. Let any excess drip off by rotating the cupcake several times above the chocolate. Returning the cupcakes to the tray or cookie sheet, top with a cherry, and let sit for 15 minutes, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes to set the coating. Once set, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve cold.