Last week was record breaking around here.
I was informed by the boys at Jay’s work that it had been quite a while since the last batch of cupcakes was sent into the office. Truth was, they were right. And that last batch was from a box and not even all that great. They deserved something good…and I had the perfect recipe in mind.
Well over a year ago now, I ended up picking up one of those magazine-like recipe books while checking out at the grocery store. Typically when I buy these things, I’ll use them once – maybe twice – and then they get lost amongst the rest of my recipe books. This book, however, has been amazing. So many great recipe ideas.
I’ll usually just use the recipes as a guide and tweak them a bit here or there to put my own spin on ‘em, but there has been one particular recipe that I’d been dying to try for months now; problem was, I never seemed to have a jar of maraschino cherries on hand.
Problem solved.
Now, I like to bake my fair share of cupcakes. I love chocolate ones, vanilla ones, orange cream ones and even Neapolitan ones. But this recipe right here is now, by far, my favorite recipe of them all.
Jay tells me that the guys at work have dubbed these to be the best cupcakes yet (taking the place of these) and have continued to sing their praises, expletives and all, ever since.
Oh boy. 
The cupcakes are so incredibly moist, with the perfect hint of cherry and almond flavors. The frosting is sweet, but not so much so where you feel like your teeth are rotting out of your head, ya know?
They’re most definitely a recipe for you to try ASAP.
Cherry Almond Vanilla Cupcakes with Cherry Almond Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
Cherry Almond Cupcakes
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
- 4 egg whites
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup buttermilk* *If you don’t’ have buttermilk on hand, place 2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup and fill with enough milk to make 3/4 cup total
- 1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice
- 1-1/2 cups 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Cherry Almond Butter Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3 tbsp maraschino cherry juice
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 24-muffin cups with paper baking cups (or spray with cooking spray).
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
- In a 2-cup measuring glass, combine buttermilk (or milk with lemon juice) and cherry juice; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix butter, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and cherry buttermilk mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each just until combined.
- Spoon batter until prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Press a cherry half into batter in each cup.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups and cool completely.
For the Frosting
- Beat butter with electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar, beating well. Add cherry juice and almond extract and mix well. Gradually beat in 3 more cups confectioners’ sugar. If necessary, add in more cherry juice (or milk) until frosting reaches desired consistency. Frost cupcakes, top with additional cherries if desired, and enjoy!
(recipe from BHG)
I’ll be making another batch of these today for my mom to have at a party this coming Friday, and if there are any leftovers, I’ll be sure to share ‘em with those lovely boys at work.
I’m really starting to think that I should ask for my own position there. Official Office Cupcake Baker, perhaps?
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