Cherry Cupcakes
These cherry cupcakes blend real maraschino cherries into a soft almond scented pink crumb, finished with a pink, purple, and turquoise tie dye frosting swirl.
Servings 12 servings
Calories 445kcal
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
Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin A: 375IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg