Cherry Almond Cupcakes

I had a list of  a whole bunch of savory things to post.

But…it’s Sunday.  And it’s raining.  And I should be studying.  So cupcakes (naturally…..) were a better fit for such a day.

I had these guys bookmarked for a very long time.  I love the combination of cherry and almonds (the smell of almond extract is one of my favorite smells in the whole world), and since cherries are in abundance now, this was the perfect recipe to try on a whim.

A few things, though.  I used jarred, natural Bing cherries for this one instead of maraschino (which you could certainly substitute.)  The deep, violet cherry juice color bled a little into the cupcakes, so the golden pink color I was hoping for didn’t happen.  But, when it comes down to it, I realized that the actual color of the cupcakes wasn’t something that would stop me from eating one, so I just put a little extra frosting on top.  Speaking of the frosting, I have to tell you that while this frosting actually got rave reviews from the people who tried them, I’m jut not an uber-sweet frosting fan.  And this is one of those knock-your-socks-off better grab a drink of water kind of frostings.  The next time I try these, I might switch out the frosting for a cream cheese-based one to balance the sweetness of the cherries.  But, overall, the cupcakes were a dream.  I ate one for breakfast. I ate one warm from the oven before I frosted them (I figured the addition of the cherries made it more like a muffin at that point, right?)

Cherry Almond Cupcakes

Servings: approximately 24 cupcakes

 

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup Bing cherry juice

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 egg whites

1 and 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

12 Bing cherries, halved

For the frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons Bing cherry juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1-2 teaspoons (plus more, to desired consistency) of milk or cream

For garnish:  Bing cherries

 

Instructions

1. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with the liners of your choice.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

3. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and the cherry juice; set aside.

4. In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at high speed until smooth,  about 30 seconds.

5. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and add the sugar, vanilla, and almond extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

6. Add the egg whites, one at a time, until thoroughly combined.

7. In increments, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

8. Divide the batter between your prepared cupcake lines and gently press a cherry half into the center of each cupcake top.

9. Bake until lightly golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes or so.  Let cool completely before frosting.

10. For the frosting:  In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.

11. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the powdered sugar slowly, one cup at a time, until completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

12. Add the cherry juice and the almond extract.

13. Add the the milk or cream, one teaspoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.  Pipe as desired onto the cooled cupcakes.  Garnish with additional cherries.

 

Source:  Slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.