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Cherry Cupcakes blend a whole jar of maraschino cherries right into the batter, so every bite is pink, almond scented, and genuinely cherry flavored, then a three color tie dye frosting swirl makes them the loudest thing on the dessert table. Maddie picked these for her class party and reported back that two kids asked if they were from a real bakery. If my funfetti cupcakes are the confetti of the cupcake world, these are the fireworks.
Blended cherries in the batter, three bowls of tinted frosting on top, zero advanced skills required.
Cherry Cupcakes Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 30 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 18 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 445kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet cherry and almond crumb under a vanilla frosting swirl
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, one batter and a simple multi color piping trick
Quick Answer
Blend drained maraschino cherries in a food processor until finely chopped. Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg whites and almond extract, then alternate the flour and baking powder mixture with milk. Fold in the blended cherries, divide the pink batter into a lined muffin tin, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 18 minutes. Cool completely, then divide an almond buttercream into three bowls, tint them pink, purple, and turquoise, stripe them side by side into one piping bag, and pipe swirls for the tie dye effect.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Blended cherries flavor every crumb. Chopping the maraschinos to a fine mince in the food processor spreads cherry flavor and pink color through the whole batter instead of leaving soggy pockets.
- Egg whites keep the color clean. Skipping the yolks keeps the crumb pale so the cherry pink shows true instead of turning muddy yellow.
- Almond extract amplifies the cherry. Cherries and almond are flavor cousins, a little extract in both batter and frosting makes the cherry taste twice as loud.
- Draining the cherries protects the texture. Maraschino syrup is heavy, blending drained cherries adds flavor and moisture without turning the batter loose.
- One bag, three colors is the whole trick. Striping the tinted frostings side by side into a single piping bag makes every swirl self marble, the tie dye look happens automatically as you pipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The crumb is naturally pink from real cherries, no bottle of red dye required for the cake itself.
- The tie dye swirl looks professional but the technique is literally three spoons and one piping bag.
- The almond and cherry combo tastes like a bakery case, the same trick that makes my strawberry angel food cake so good.
Key Ingredients
Cupcake basics plus one jar of cherries and three colors.
- Maraschino cherries: Drained and blended fine, they carry the flavor and tint the crumb naturally pink.
- Egg whites: Just the whites keep the cake tender and the color bright.
- Almond extract: In the batter and the frosting, it is the bakery flavor that makes cherry desserts taste finished.
- Butter and powdered sugar: The buttercream base that takes the three color treatment.
- Half and half and gel food coloring: The half and half loosens the frosting to piping consistency, and pink, purple, and turquoise gels build the tie dye.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Same pink crumb, plenty of ways to top it.
- Pipe a single color swirl and press a whole cherry on top for a classic cherry almond cupcake.
- Swap the almond extract for vanilla if you have almond allergies at the table, still delicious.
- Fold mini chocolate chips into the batter for a chocolate cherry version.
- Go citrus instead with my lemon cupcakes if cherries are not your crowd.
- Use holiday colors in the tie dye, red and green for Christmas or pastels for Easter, the technique is identical.
How to Make Cherry Cupcakes
- Cream the butter and sugar until light, then beat in the egg whites and almond extract. Alternate adding the flour and baking powder mixture with the milk on low speed until just combined.
- Fold in the drained, blended maraschino cherries until the batter turns evenly pink.
- Divide the batter between 12 lined muffin cups, filling each about two thirds full.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 16 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then finish cooling on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting by whipping butter, powdered sugar, almond extract, and half and half until fluffy, then divide it into three bowls and tint them pink, purple, and turquoise.
- Spoon the three frostings side by side into one piping bag fitted with a star tip, then pipe swirls onto the cooled cupcakes, the colors marble into the tie dye effect as you go.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Drain the cherries well before blending. Pat them on paper towels, extra syrup loosens the batter and sinks the cherry bits.
- Fill the liners two thirds, no more. This batter rises confidently and overfilled cups mushroom over the pan.
- Cool completely before frosting. Even slightly warm cupcakes melt the swirl into a puddle.
- Load the piping bag stripes side by side, not stacked. Vertical stripes of each color give the cleanest tie dye marble.
- Use gel coloring, not liquid. Gels tint boldly without thinning the frosting past piping consistency.
- Do a test swirl on parchment. The first squeeze is usually one dominant color, pipe it off to the side and the marble starts on cupcake one.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Set the cherry cupcakes on a tiered stand for a birthday table with a batch of my angel food cupcakes, the mixed swirls look like a bakery display.
For a baby shower or spring brunch, serve them with slices of my strawberry angel food cake and pink lemonade, the color story does half the decorating.
They pack well for school treats, send the extras with a few of my chocolate chip muffins so the chocolate kids are covered too.
And for a weekend baking spree, split the oven time with my banana cream cheese muffins, one sweet, one snacky, everyone wins.
Store frosted cherry cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and let them stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving so the frosting softens. Unfrosted cupcakes freeze for up to 2 months, thaw and frost the day you serve.
Cherry Cupcakes FAQs
The blended maraschino cherries folded through the batter, no added food coloring needed for the cake itself. A 4 ounce jar, drained and processed fine, tints all 12 cupcakes a natural rosy pink and spreads real cherry flavor through every bite.
Maraschino cherries are the right call here, their concentrated sweet flavor and soft texture blend into the batter smoothly. Fresh cherries are wetter and more tart, if you use them, chop them fine, pat them very dry, and expect a subtler flavor and duller color.
Divide one batch of buttercream into three bowls and tint them pink, purple, and turquoise with gel coloring. Spoon the three colors side by side into a single piping bag with a star tip, then pipe normal swirls. The colors marble together automatically, every cupcake comes out with its own pattern.
Usually extra liquid from undrained cherries or an early oven door check. Drain and pat the cherries before blending, and keep the door closed until the 15 minute mark. Overfilled liners can also collapse as they cool, two thirds full is the ceiling.
Yes. Bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them airtight at room temperature, then frost the day of serving. The frosting colors can be tinted and refrigerated a day early too, just rewhip briefly and load the bag when you are ready to pipe.
Frosted, they keep airtight in the refrigerator for up to 4 days thanks to the half and half in the buttercream. Serve them after 20 minutes at room temperature so the frosting goes soft and creamy again. Unfrosted, they freeze for 2 months wrapped well.
Made these Cherry Cupcakes? Leave a comment and a star rating below, and tell me what colors your tie dye swirl came out!
Cherry Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup milk
- 4 oz. maraschino cherries drained and blended in a food processor (equals ⅓ cup once blended)
Frosting Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 5-6 tablespoons half and half
- Pink purple, and turquoise gel food coloring
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-serving cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
- Add the flour and baking powder to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Add the butter and sugar to the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and cream for 3 minutes.⅓ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated white sugar
- Add egg whites and almond extract and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy.2 large egg whites, ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Add the dry ingredients, followed by the milk, and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula and beat the batter on high speed once more to ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated.½ cup milk
- Add the blended cherries and mix well.4 oz. maraschino cherries
- Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake pan until each liner is about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then place the cupcakes on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Fit a large piping bag with a large star tip and set aside.
- Add the butter and powdered sugar to the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix until just combined. The mixture will look dry and crumbly.6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 5 cups powdered sugar
- Add the almond extract and 5 tablespoons of half-and-half and mix well. If the frosting is still too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of half-and-half.½ teaspoon almond extract, 5-6 tablespoons half and half
- Beat the frosting on high speed until smooth and fluffy for 3 minutes.
- Divide the frosting evenly into 3 small bowls, adding a different food color to each one. Mix well.Pink
- Spoon each frosting color into the prepared piping bag so that each color is side-by-side. This will ensure that each color comes out of the bag at the same time when the bag is squeezed.
- Swirl a generous amount of frosting onto each cupcake and serve.
Notes
- Use a cookie scoop to fill the cupcake liners evenly.
- Make sure all wet ingredients are at room temperature to ensure a smooth batter.
- Tap the cupcake pan on the counter before baking to release any air bubbles.
- Always cool the cupcakes completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Practice piping on parchment paper before starting on your cupcakes.
- Clean the tip of the piping bag frequently to keep the tie-dye effect neat.
Nutrition
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