Cocoa muffins with a cherry jam heart: irresistible little cakes, soft and aromatic, enhanced with orange zest and juice. The tender texture and the cherry jam heart, which melts gently in the mouth, make them perfect to accompany a cup of coffee or tea. They are ideal both as a dessert and as a snack to enjoy at any time of the day. With an elegant presentation, they become particularly suitable for special occasions, such as parties or receptions. Additionally, if you don’t prefer it, the cherry jam can be replaced with other types of fruit, allowing you to create variations of the dessert to suit different tastes and preferences. They keep for about 2 days under a glass dome or in an airtight container. Below, let’s see together how to prepare our cocoa muffins with a cherry jam heart:
Other cherry dessert recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (00 flour)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners')
- 11 tbsp butter (at room temperature)
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- grated zest of 1 orange
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1/2 cup cherry jam
- as needed sliced almonds
Steps
In a large bowl, work the softened butter with half of the powdered sugar (1/2 cup) using a spatula or whisk until you obtain a creamy mixture.
In another bowl, beat the eggs with the pinch of salt and the remaining powdered sugar (1/2 cup) until light and airy, about 5–7 minutes. Also incorporate the orange zest and juice.
Gradually add the beaten eggs to the butter-and-sugar mixture, folding gently from the bottom up. Sift in the flour together with the cocoa and the baking powder and continue to mix.
Pour about half of the batter into the appropriate molds or paper liners, filling them to about 2/3.
Place a tablespoon of cherry jam in the center of each muffin, taking care not to overfill them to avoid overflow.
Cover with the remaining batter, leveling the surface. Sprinkle sliced almonds around the edges of the muffins and dust with powdered sugar.
Bake on the middle rack of a preheated oven at 347°F (175°C) for about 25–30 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick.
Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool. If desired, dust with a little powdered sugar and decorate with fresh cherries.
Bon appétit and… see you in the next recipe!
If you try this recipe, be sure to tag #ipasticcinidinina on Instagram so I can see it and share it with the community.
