Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cupcakes

These cupcakes are extra fun due to an little surprise added to the cake batter before baking. I had intended to use cherries in natural form, either fresh or frozen if need be, and I was unable to find either (cherries aren't due till May in Greece and has a short growing season).

Nevertheless, I decided to stay with the recipe and found low-sugar natural cherry jam. There is no additional added

sugar to the recipe but if you like a sweeter cupcake you might wish to add a bit. Also, I used 2% Greek yogurt, but feel free to use mascarpone, dairy-free yogurt, or dairy free cream cheese instead. You can also use lighter yogurt if you are watching calories, but I believe that low-fat products offer more nutritious value with an enhanced taste. I wanted to use as few products as possible, which is why the jam and yogurt are used in all three components of the recipe :)

Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cupcakes

1 1/4 cups flour

1/3 cup cocoa or carob powder (I used raw cocoa)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt

1/4 cup light buttermilk

1/2 cup low-sugar natural cherry jelly

3 egg whites

Filling

1/3 cup 2% Greek yogurt

1/4 cup low-sugar cherry jelly

1 egg

Frosting

1/4 cup 2% Greek yogurt

2 TSBP low-sugar cherry jelly

1 TSBP powdered sugar (optional)

1. Combine dry ingredients, mix lightly.

2. Add in yogurt, buttermilk, eggs and jelly, one at a time.

3. Mix ingredients for filling together.

4. ALternate pouring cake batter and filling into cupcake liners. Start with cake batter, pour a drop of filling, and then top with more batter.

5. Bake at 180C for 25 minutes.

6. Mix frosting ingredients together and top once cupcakes cool a bit.

I made half of the cupcakes without the filling, which produced more of a fudgey cup

cake. The swirl version was fluffier. Both are great!