Cherry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting
My obsession for maraschino cherries is at an all-time high this week. These maraschino cherry cupcakes with white chocolate frosting have me satisfied though. I love the sweet bits of maraschino cherries that are throughout the entire cupcake.
If you're looking for a gorgeous cupcake for a Valentine's Day party, these are the ticket.
I have something that I need to confess. After this photo shoot was over, I ate every single one of those cherries sitting on top of each pile of white chocolate frosting. Luckily, my husband isn't nearly as crazy about the cherries as I am so I got away with it.
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If you really want to jazz up this recipe, you could use booze soaked cherries in the cupcakes and as cupcake toppers. That would liven up the party!
Make these. You'll love 'em.
Cherry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
Cherry Cupcakes
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- ½ cup maraschino cherries chopped
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cups cake flour
White Chocolate Frosting
- 1 ½ cups white chocolate chips
- 5 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup butter 1 stick, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 13 maraschino cherries with stems
- Red sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the butter and sugar. Mix on high until light and fluffy. This will take about 3 minutes.
- Add in the vanilla and eggs. Make sure to add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Scrape down the bowl.
- In a measuring cup, add the milk and cherry juice. Set aside.
- Sift the baking powder and flour in a separate bowl.
- Alternate adding flour and milk until combined. Start and end with flour. I normally add the flour in thirds and the milk in halves.
- Once completely incorporated, pour into cupcake liners. Fill the cups ¾ of the way.
- Place in the oven and bake for about 17 minutes or until done. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cupcakes and if it comes out with moist crumbs or clean, the cupcakes are done.
- Let the cupcakes cool and make the frosting.
Frosting
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, add in white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat 2 additional times or until the mixture is completely smooth. It will take a minute or two of stirring for the heavy cream and white chocolate chips to incorporate.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool until firm. It should take about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, work on putting the cake together.
- Once the ganache has firmed up, remove it from the fridge. If it's rock solid, it needs to sit out to take the chill off and loosen up or you'll burn out your hand mixer trying to mix it. You want it to hold it's shape, but not be super hard.
- Mix the ganache with a hand mixer on medium until light and fluffy.
- Add in the butter and continue to mix until incorporated.
- Add in the powdered sugar and milk and mix on low until the powdered sugar is almost incorporated. Turn the hand mixer on high and mix for an additional 2 - 3 minutes until the frosting is whipped.
- Place the frosting in a piping bag with a 1M tip. Swirl the frosting on top of each cupcake. Add a few red sprinkles and top with a stemmed cherry.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
What is your Valentine's Day looking like? Are you making dinner for a sweetheart and going out? I need to details!
These look delicious and my mama loved cherries. Such lovely photos.
Thank you, Melissa! I was pretty impressed with myself for the photos. lol
I don't know if I've ever seen frosting piped so beautifully before. These are gorgeous!!
Awww! Thank you Des!
These are just gorgeous Miranda! My mom loves maraschino cherries, and I think she'd go nuts for these!
Thank you, Aida!
These look absolutely heavenly!
Thank you, Rachel! They tasted heavenly too. 😀
I totally understand! Those cherries look so "popable!" Gorgeous photos!
Thanks Karen! 😀
Ooh...these are so pretty! Have you ever made your own maraschino cherries? I do it for my cocktails but they are not as bright and sometimes, this color is just what is needed.
Thank you Barbara. I haven't, but I've read up on how to make them in detail. It's on my to do list. Do you have a recipe up for yours? I would love to take a peak!
Almost too cute to eat!
Almost! lol
What a fun idea! They do look perfect for Valentine's Day and I HAVE to try that white chocolate frosting!
Thank you! I loved the white chocolate frosting. It was soooo good! Maybe too good, I haven't gotten on the scales to check.
Yum! These are so pretty! I like the idea of marinating the cherries, too. Pinned!
Thank you, Marye! I think I need to spin off these with soaked cherries!
Mmm those look amazing! White chocolate + cherry is a great combination 🙂
Thanks! They are a fantastic combination!