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cherry cupcakes on a cake stand

Cherry Cupcakes

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling time 3 hours
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 10
Author Kelsie

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract clear vanilla if you have it
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract*
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • Pink food coloring
  • 3/4 cup maraschino cherries patted dry and chopped

Frosting

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3 1/2 to 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 to 6 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract clear if you have it
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • pink food coloring optional

Instructions

Cupcakes

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 10 to 12 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
  3. Beat the butter in a large mixing bowl until it’s smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the sugar, mixing until fluffy and pale in color—3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Beat in the egg whites 1 at a time, followed by the vanilla and almond extract. Beat in the food coloring, if using.
  5. With mixer on low, beat in 1/3 of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the milk.
  6. Set the mixer aside and switch to mixing with a spatula. Add another third of the dry ingredients, the remaining milk, then the last of the dry ingredients. Stir until the flour is just incorporated.
  7. Fold in the chopped cherries.
  8. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

  1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until very smooth.
  2. Add 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, the cherry juice, vanilla, almond extract, and salt and beat to combine. Mix in food coloring (if using).
  3. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then turn mixer to medium and beat until smooth. Add additional powdered sugar if frosting is too thin and additional milk if frosting is too thick.
  4. Frost and decorate cooled cupcakes as desired.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

  • *You can substitute vanilla for the almond extract if you prefer.
  • I use clear vanilla in my cherry cupcakes and frosting because that lets me get a true pink color but you can use regular if that’s what you have.
  • Uneaten cupcakes can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months.