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1
Preheat oven to 350F.
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2
Brush standard muffin tins with butter; dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
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3
Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
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4
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.
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5
Add brown sugar, and beat until fluffy.
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6
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
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7
Mix in sour cream.
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8
Reduce speed to low.
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9
Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and mixing until just combined after each.
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10
Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each three-quarters full.
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11
Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until tops are firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
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12
Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
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13
Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
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14
To finish, drain cherries, reserving 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons syrup.
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15
Cut each cherry in half.
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16
Combine reserved syrup and kirsch in a small bowl.
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17
Using a serrated knife (and a gentle sawing motion), split cupcakes in half horizontally.
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18
Brush both cut sides with kirsch mixture.
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19
Arrange halved cherries over cupcake bottoms; spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon pastry cream evenly over cherries.
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20
Replace top halves.
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21
Spoon 2 tablespoons glaze over tops.
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22
Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.
