1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners and set aside. Melt the butter and let cool slightly.

2. Add sugar (or xylitol), melted butter, and oil to a large bowl and mix on high speed for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs separately and mix well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Mix the flour with baking powder and salt, then add to the bowl in two batches alternating with the milk (2/3 cup/150ml) – mix until just combined. Transfer some of the batter into the prepared paper liners so each of them is about 1/3 full. Add the cocoa and 2 tablespoons of milk to the remaining batter and mix until you get a smooth chocolate batter. Add the chocolate chips and fold in. Divide the batter evenly between the paper lines – mix the two batters with a toothpick or leave it as it is and bake for 20-23 minutes. Check with a cake tester if the cakes are done. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, remove immediately from the muffin tin and let cool down completely on a wire rack.

3. For the buttercream add the egg whites and sugar (or xylitol) to a heatproof bowl and place over a pot with simmering water – the bowl should not touch the water! Heat the mixture to a temperature of 160°F (71°C), stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. As soon as the mixture has reached the necessary temperature, remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor (or use a handheld mixer) – mix at high speed until you get a white and very thick meringue. The bowl should only be lukewarm to the touch – it takes about 8-10 minutes. Gradually add the soft butter in small pieces and mix well after each addition. When all the butter is used, add the salt and vanilla extract and mix another 3-4 minutes until the buttercream is very fluffy and creamy. Transfer the cream to a piping bag with a star tip and set aside.

4. Mix the cherry compote (or cherry pie filling) with the cherry schnapps. Use a cupcake corer* or knife, cut a well into the cupcakes, and add a small amount of the compote/pie filling. Pipe a swirl of buttercream on each cupcake and decorate with fresh cherries and some chocolate flakes (optional).