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Cherry Cupcakes with chunks of maraschino cherry baked into pink cake and a whipped lime frosting on top taste exactly like the cherry limeade you order at the drive in, and when I brought a tray to a family barbecue last month, the cupcake stand was empty before dessert officially started. If you want the drink that inspired them, our vodka cherry limeade cocktail is the grown up glass version.
Cake mix does the heavy lifting, so these come together in 20 minutes of prep with a frosting you will want to eat by the spoonful.
Cherry Cupcakes Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 24 cupcakes
- ⚡ Calories: 208kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet cherry cake with a bright, tangy lime whipped frosting
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, right there with our funfetti cupcakes
Quick Answer
Chop a jar of maraschino cherries and mix the reserved juice with water to replace the liquid in a box of vanilla cake mix. Toss the cherries in a spoonful of dry mix so they stay suspended, fold them into the batter, and bake per the box directions. Frost the cooled cupcakes with whipped butter, powdered sugar, lime juice, zest, and folded in whipped topping.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Cherry juice replaces the water. Mixing the reserved maraschino liquid into the batter tints the cake pink and bakes real cherry flavor into every crumb, not just the chunks.
- Coating the cherries in dry cake mix. The light flour coating grips the batter so the cherry pieces stay suspended through the bake instead of sinking to the bottom.
- Rough chopping instead of mincing. A mix of small and larger chunks means some bites get a whisper of cherry and others get a big juicy pocket, which keeps every cupcake interesting.
- Whipped topping lightens the frosting. Folding it into the butter and sugar base creates a mousse like frosting that will not overwhelm the soft cake.
- Fresh lime juice and zest. The zest carries the aromatic lime oils and the juice brings the tang, together they read unmistakably as limeade against the sweet cherry.
- Box mix as the base. The cake is guaranteed soft and consistent, so all your effort goes into the flavors that make these special.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They taste like a cherry limeade from the drive in, sweet cherry cake and tangy lime frosting in one bite.
- They are a guaranteed party hit, right up there with our strawberry earthquake cake for wow factor with barely any effort.
- The cake mix shortcut means even beginner bakers get bakery pretty results on the first try.
- It delivers that same everyone asks for seconds energy as our cherry cupcakes.
- It delivers that same everyone asks for seconds energy as our cherry dump cake.
- It earns a spot in the rotation right next to our cherry danish recipe.
Key Ingredients
Nine simple ingredients, and the two that matter most come straight out of the cherry jar.
- Maraschino Cherries: The whole jar works overtime here, chopped cherries go into the batter and the reserved juice replaces part of the water for pink cake and real cherry flavor.
- Vanilla Cake Mix: The shortcut that makes these a 20 minute prep. Reserve a spoonful of the dry mix for coating the cherries so they do not sink.
- Fresh Lime Juice and Zest: This is the limeade half of the flavor, brightening the frosting so it tastes like the drive in drink instead of plain buttercream.
- Whipped Topping: Folded into the whipped butter and sugar, it turns the frosting light and cloudlike, closer to a limeade float than a heavy frosting.
- Unsalted Butter: The backbone of the frosting, whip it fully before anything else goes in so the final texture is silky.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These cupcakes are endlessly adaptable, here are the swaps we love.
- Cherry lemonade: Swap the lime juice and zest for lemon and you have a whole new stand of flavor.
- Cream cheese frosting: Trade the whipped topping frosting for a classic cream cheese version if you want more tang and structure for piping.
- Chocolate cherry: Use a chocolate cake mix for a chocolate covered cherry vibe, keep the lime out and add a splash of vanilla instead.
- Poke cake style: Love the cherry and cake combo in sheet form? Our strawberry poke cake uses the same juice soaked trick.
- Extra cherry punch: Stir a teaspoon of the cherry juice into the finished frosting for a pink swirled, double cherry cupcake.
- If you want to switch things up, our cherry vanilla meringue cookies plays on similar flavors in a whole new way.
- If you want to switch things up, our margarita cupcakes plays on similar flavors in a whole new way.
- In the mood for something different? Our margarita cupcakes scratches a similar itch.
How to Make Cherry Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven per the cake mix directions. Drain the cherries, reserving the liquid, remove the stems, pat dry, and rough chop so you get a mix of small and larger chunks.
- Reserve 1 tablespoon of the dry cake mix. Combine the remaining mix with the oil, eggs, and the reserved cherry liquid topped up with water to equal 1 cup, then beat according to the box directions.
- Toss the chopped cherries with the reserved tablespoon of cake mix until lightly coated, fold them into the batter, and fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.
- Bake according to the box instructions, then rest the cupcakes in the tin for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, whip the butter until fluffy, add the powdered sugar in batches, then the lime juice and zest. Whisk in a third of the whipped topping, fold in the rest, then frost the cooled cupcakes and top each with a cherry and extra zest.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Pat the cherries truly dry. Extra surface juice makes the batter streaky and can create soggy pockets around the fruit.
- Do not skip the cake mix coating on the cherries, it is the difference between cherries in every bite and cherries sitting at the bottom.
- Cool completely before frosting. The whipped topping frosting is delicate and will slide off a warm cupcake.
- Keep the frosting cold until you use it. A quick chill in the fridge firms it up for cleaner swirls.
- Zest before you juice the limes, it is nearly impossible to zest a squeezed lime half.
- Refrigerate leftovers. Because of the whipped topping, these cannot sit out overnight, store them covered in the fridge.
- Plan the whole menu. This pairs effortlessly with our homemade limeade when company is coming.
- Plan the whole menu. This pairs effortlessly with our mini pumpkin cheesecake when company is coming.
- Make it a full spread. Our oreo cupcakes with cookies and cream frosting rounds out the table.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Still filling out the menu? Readers love pairing this one with our christmas tree christmas cupcakes and our lemon cupcakes with strawberry buttercream.
They are also a sweet Valentine treat, the pink cake and cherry topper need zero extra decorating to look the part.
Cherry Cupcakes FAQs
Sinking fruit means the cherries went in wet or uncoated. For Cherry Cupcakes that hold their chunks in place, pat the chopped cherries dry with a paper towel and toss them with a tablespoon of the dry cake mix before folding them in, the coating grips the batter and keeps them suspended.
Yes, any vanilla cupcake recipe that makes about 24 cupcakes works for Cherry Cupcakes. Replace roughly half the milk or water in your recipe with the reserved maraschino juice and fold in the coated cherry chunks the same way. The box mix version just gets you there faster.
Because the frosting contains whipped topping, Cherry Cupcakes must be stored in the refrigerator. Keep them covered for up to 4 days and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving so the cake softens back up.
Freeze the unfrosted Cherry Cupcakes in a freezer bag for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature. The whipped lime frosting does not freeze well, so make it fresh the day you plan to frost and serve.
The whipped lime frosting here is the classic cherry limeade pairing, but Cherry Cupcakes are also fantastic with cream cheese frosting, vanilla buttercream, or even a chocolate frosting for a chocolate covered cherry twist.
You can, but the flavor changes. Fresh cherries are milder and juicier, so pit them, chop, and pat very dry, and swap the reserved maraschino juice for water plus a teaspoon of vanilla. Maraschino cherries give Cherry Cupcakes their signature candy sweet flavor and pink color.
Want the frozen drink these cupcakes are named after? Our cherry limeade cocktail is five minutes away.
Cherry Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 10 oz jar maraschino cherries
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- 1/2 Cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter softened
- 2 Cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tbls fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 8 oz whipped topping cool whip
Instructions
- Preheat oven to directions on back of cake mix.
- Take cherries out of jar, reserving liquid. Remove stems and pat dry with a paper towel. Rough chop so you get small and larger chunks. Set aside.
- Reserve about 1 Tbls of the cake mix powder. Mix cake mix with oil, eggs and the reserved cherry liquid mixed with water to equal 1 Cup. Beat mix according to directions on back of box.
- Sprinkle the 1 Tbls of cake mix powder on to the chopped cherries. Mix until cherries are lightly coated. Add this to the bowl and fold in the chunks. Doing this will help the cherry pieces to stay suspended in the mix and not sink to the bottom of the cupcakes.
- Place mix in cupcake wrappers in cupcake tray. Bake to the instructions on back of box.
- While cupcakes are baking, make the frosting.
- Whip butter until fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar in batches until fully mixed.
- Add in the lime juice and zest and mix.
- Add about 1/3 of the container of cool whip and whisk until incorporated. Fold in the remaining cool whip to form a light and fluffy frosting. Set aside in fridge.
- When cupcakes are done baking, place on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Take cupcakes out of time and place on wire rack until completely cool.
- Frost cupcakes with whipped lime frosting, top with a cherry and more lime zest if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!
- If you don’t plan on eating all of the cupcakes right away, you will need to store them along with any leftover frosting in the fridge. Due to the cool whip, it cannot sit out.
Nutrition
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Thanks for sharing your recipes with us on foodie friday this week.
Seriously, what are you doing to me here? Now I’m starving! With the chicken tenders, the punch and the cupcakes, I feel like I could just make a whole party from following your posts. I think I will!
Love these cupcakes and your pictures are wonderful! Nice to see you again. Sharon and Denise
Saw this in our Super Saturday Link party and just had to come by and tell you, Yummo! The lime topping sounds heavenly! I cannot get enough lime in my life, and this sounds so good.
Wow! These sound (and look) absolutely amazing! I am definitely pinning this to try this summer!!!
~ visiting from the Ladies Only Blog Share Link Party ~ Danielle from Family Centsability
Other than the Cool Whip (which I can’t stand) these look heavenly! I love Cherry Limeades! I pinned it and can’t wait to try it. 🙂
Mmmm, these looks so good! I love this cherry/ lime combo! I will definitely be trying these!
These looks like they taste amazing!! If you have a chance I’d love for you to link up to Handmade Tuesdays @ Ladybug Blessings. http://www.ladybug-blessings.com Have a terrific weekend!
Aww thanks so much, this made my day!
I saw you linking this up right before my post on My Romantic Home and had to come right over and print this out. My hubby loves cherry limeade at Sonic, so I know he’d like these! Thanks, and gorgeous photography by the way. Take care – Dawn @ We Call It Junkin.com