Black Forest Chocolate Cupcake Wreath
If there’s one bake that brings instant Christmas cheer, it’s this Black Forest Chocolate Cupcake Wreath.
Soft chocolate cupcakes, a hidden pocket of cherry jam, clouds of mascarpone cream, and all the festive toppings, cherries, chocolate shavings, mint, the works.
It looks incredible on the table, feeds a crowd beautifully, and is secretly so easy because it’s just twelve cupcakes arranged into a wreath.
A showstopper with minimal stress, my favourite kind of Christmas magic.
Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes: 12
Ingredients
100 g unsalted butter, softened
100 g caster sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
½ tsp vanilla extract
120 g self-raising flour
20 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder
¼ tsp baking soda
Pinch of fine salt
60 g Greek yoghurt (or thick plain yoghurt)
60 ml milk
Method
1. Prep the Tins
Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan).
Line a 12-hole cupcake tray with paper cases.
2. Cream Butter & Sugar
Beat the butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
Mix in the vanilla.
3. Add the Egg
Beat in the egg until just combined.
(A slight curdle is completely fine — the flour brings it all together.)
4. Combine Dry Ingredients
Whisk together:
self-raising flour
cocoa powder
baking soda
salt
5. Bring the Batter Together
Add half the dry mixture → fold gently.
Add yoghurt + milk → fold.
Add remaining dry mixture → fold until smooth and lump-free.
6. Bake
Divide batter evenly (⅔ full).
Bake 16–18 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched.
7. Cool & Fill
Once cool, core each cupcake using a knife or cupcake corer.
Fill with ½–1 tsp cherry jam, then replace the little plug of cake.
Mascarpone Cream Topping
Ingredients
300 ml thickened cream
250 g mascarpone
1 tbsp icing sugar (optional)
½ tsp vanilla extract
Method
Combine cream, mascarpone, icing sugar, and vanilla.
Whip to soft, billowy peaks that hold their shape.
Chill until needed.
Assemble the Pull-Apart Christmas Wreath
Arrange the 12 cupcakes in a circle on a platter or board.
Spoon or pipe the mascarpone cream onto each cupcake and smooth to create a continuous ring of snowy white cream.
Decorate with:
Fresh cherries
Grated dark chocolate
Mint sprigs or edible holly
(Optional) a tiny drizzle of kirsch inside each cupcake before the jam
Elliot’s Notes
This recipe doubles perfectly if you’re building a larger wreath for a big gathering.
Keep the cupcakes refrigerated once topped, especially on hot summer days.
Finish with extra chocolate shavings just before serving for that true Black Forest look. I just use a veg peeler on a block of chocolate.
