Cherry Cupcakes

Whimsical pink cherry cupcakes are bursting with cherries. Filled with cherry pie filling and covered with fluffy frosting these cupcakes are a sweet treat.

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Adorable pink cherry cupcakes, filled with cherry pie filling, and covered with fluffy frosting, will have you smiling from ear to ear. You’ll love making these sweet cherry cupcakes for friends and family. 

MORE RECIPES: Cherry Bread | Cherry Chip Cake | Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cherry Cupcakes

Bright red and pink, these cupcakes are a cherry treat that will have you feeling cheery. And when you take a bite the burst of cherries hidden on the inside are a fun extra surprise. 
Moist and soft, maraschino cherry cupcakes are perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or any time you need a little pink cherry treat. Serve your cupcakes with bright red fresh fruits like strawberries or raspberries. 
Fun and fruity, cherry cupcakes are flavored with both cherry pie filling and maraschino cherry juice. Maraschino cherries with stems are the literal cherry on top for these whimsical cupcakes.

Cherry Cupcakes Ingredients

• Flour - all-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Butter - salted sweet cream butter
• Sugar - granulated sugar
• Egg - egg whites
• Milk - whole milk
• Maraschino cherry juice
• Vanilla flavoring - clear vanilla flavoring
• Almond extract
• Food color - red food color
• Cherry pie filling
• Butter - unsalted butter
• Shortening - vegetable shortening
• Sugar - powdered sugar
• Half and half
• Cherries - maraschino cherries with stems, optional garnish

You can buy a fancy corer to cut the holes in the middle of the cupcake, but it’s not necessary. A serrated knife will do just fine to cut the center out of the cupcakes. 
If you prefer not to add food coloring you can omit that step. You’ll have equally delicious, just very pale-colored cupcakes. 
Using a decorator’s bag or Ziploc bag will make filling the cored cupcakes easier and cleaner, but you can also just spoon in the pie filling. When decorating the cupcakes you can use any tip or pipe any design you wish.

How to Make Cherry Cupcakes

Cupcakes

FIRST STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 standard cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Set them aside.

SECOND STEP: Using a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set it aside. 

THIRD STEP: Using either a stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the butter and granulated sugar for 1-1½ minutes.
FOURTH STEP: Lower the mixer speed to medium-low. Add in the egg whites and mix just until well incorporated.

FIFTH STEP: Add in the vanilla flavoring and the almond extract. 

SIXTH STEP: Slowly alternate adding in the flour mixture and the whole milk and cherry juice. Mix just until well incorporated. 

SEVENTH STEP: Add 1-2 drops of the red food color and mix just until the color is even. 

EIGHTH STEP: Evenly divide the cupcake batter between the 2 cupcake pans. Fill the liners about ⅔ full. 

NINTH STEP: Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely. 

TENTH STEP: Once the cupcakes are cooled, using either a cupcake corer or a sharp knife, carefully cut out the center of the cupcake. Be sure to keep the top of the cored cupcake. 

ELEVENTH STEP: Using either a decorator's piping bag with no tip, or a quart-size Ziploc bag, fill the bag with half of the canned pie filling. 

TWELFTH STEP: Place the tip of the bag all the way into the cored cupcake, and slowly squeeze the pie filling into the cupcake. Be careful not to overfill. Replace the cupcake top and set them aside. 

Frosting

THIRTEENTH STEP: Using either a stand mixer or a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the softened butter and the shortening for 1-1½ minutes. 

FOURTEENTH STEP: Lower the mixer speed to low and slowly alternate from adding  the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and the half and half. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue to mix until well incorporated. 

FIFTEENTH STEP: Add in the cherry juice, vanilla flavoring, and almond extract. Continue mixing until the frosting is completely smooth. 

SIXTEENTH STEP: Fill either a piping bag with a star tip or a gallon size Ziploc with an edge snipped off. 

SEVENTEENTH STEP: Holding the frosting bag about a ½ inch above the center surface of the cupcake. Use even, steady pressure, squeeze the baggie to form a center “star” swirl. Keeping the tip elevated, continue to use even pressure, follow the outer line of the star swirl until the cupcake surface is frosted. 

EIGHTEENTH STEP: Once all the cupcakes are frosted, place a cherry with the stem attached on top of each decorated cupcake.

Can I use vanilla extract? 

Although vanilla flavoring and vanilla extract are not the same, either will work fine for this cupcake recipe. The darker color of the extract could result in a slightly different color in the pale cupcakes, particularly if you omit the red food coloring. 

Can I freeze cherry cupcakes? 

Yes, cherry cupcakes can be frozen before adding the cherry filling and icing. Fill and frost after thawing. 

Why are my cupcakes dry? 

To make sure your cherry cupcakes are moist be sure not to overbake them. Once baked keep them stored in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out.  

How to Store Cherry Cupcakes 

IN THE FRIDGE:  Store leftover cherry cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  

IN THE FREEZER: Un-filled and un-frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow the cupcakes to thaw completely before filling and decorating.

Cherry Cupcakes

Whimsical pink cherry cupcakes are bursting with cherries. Filled with cherry pie filling and covered with fluffy frosting these cupcakes are a sweet treat.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 38 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24 cupcakes

Calories 371 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Cupcakes

• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 8 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter (softened)
• ▢ 1½ cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 egg whites (room temperature)
• ▢ ¾ cup whole milk
• ▢ ⅓ maraschino cherry juice
• ▢ 1 clear vanilla flavoring
• ▢ ½ almond extract
• ▢ 1-2 drops red food color
• ▢ 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

Cherry Frosting

• ▢ 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
• ▢ 8 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• ▢ 4 cups + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ▢ 4-6 tablespoons half and half
• ▢ 4 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
• ▢ ½ teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 24 maraschino cherries (with stems (optional garnish))

DIRECTIONS

 

Cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 standard cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Set them aside.
• Using a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set it aside.
• Using either a stand mixer, or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the butter and granulated sugar for 1-1½ minutes.
• Lower the mixer speed to medium-low. Add in the egg whites and mix just until well incorporated.
• Add in the vanilla flavoring and the almond extract.
• Slowly alternate adding in the flour mixture and the whole milk and cherry juice. Mix just until well incorporated.
• Add 1-2 drops of the red food color and mix just until the color is even.
• Evenly divide the cupcake batter between the 2 cupcake pans. Fill the liners about ⅔ full.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
• Once the cupcakes are cooled, using either a cupcake corer or a sharp knife, carefully cut out the center of the cupcake. Be sure to keep the top of the cored cupcake.
• Using either a decorator's piping bag with no tip, or a quart-size Ziploc bag, fill the bag with half of the canned pie filling.
• Place the tip of the bag all the way into the cored cupcake, and slowly squeeze the pie filling into the cupcake. Be careful not to overfill. Replace the cupcake top and set them aside.

Frosting

• Using either a stand mixer or a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the softened butter and the shortening for 1-1½ minutes.
• Lower the mixer speed to low and slowly alternate from adding  the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and the half and half. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue to mix until well incorporated.
• Add in the cherry juice, vanilla flavoring, and almond extract. Continue mixing until the frosting is completely smooth.
• Fill either a piping bag with a star tip or a gallon size Ziploc with an edge snipped off.
• Holding the frosting bag about a ½ inch above the center surface of the cupcake. Use even, steady pressure, squeeze the baggie to form a center “star” swirl. Keeping the tip elevated, continue to use even pressure, follow the outer line of the star swirl until the cupcake surface is frosted.
• Once all the cupcakes are frosted, place a cherry with the stem attached on top of each decorated cupcake.

Nutrition

Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 259IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

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