Light, airy Cherry Almond Cupcakes filled with maraschino cherries and finished with a silky almond buttercream.
These Cherry Almond Cupcakes combine the delicate nuttiness of almond with bright cherry flavor for a crowd-pleasing treat. They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day, a special dessert, or anytime you want a pretty, flavorful cupcake.
Cherry Cupcakes
Cupcakes are portable, fun to make, and great for any celebration. These cherry-studded cupcakes have a soft pink tint from maraschino cherry juice and a tender crumb thanks to the combination of all-purpose and cake flour. The almond extract in both the batter and the frosting highlights the cherry flavor and makes these especially memorable.
Because cherry-almond is a classic pairing, this cupcake version is a lovely way to showcase both flavors. They look charming and taste delicious—ideal for sharing with loved ones.
Cupcake batter
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two standard cupcake pans with 16 liners.
Wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and almond extract and mix to combine.
Dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Cherry buttermilk: In a glass measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, maraschino cherry juice, and finely chopped maraschino cherries.
Combine: With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the cherry-buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until smooth—avoid overmixing.
Egg whites: In a clean medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter to keep it light and airy.
Bake: Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when touched. Let them cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (about 25 minutes).
Frosting
Beat: While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and a pinch of salt until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Sweeten and adjust: With the mixer on low, add the heavy cream, then gradually add the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time until the frosting is soft but holds its shape. Once all sugar is added, beat for an additional 3 minutes for a light, creamy texture. If the frosting becomes too thick, add a little more cream and beat briefly.
Decorate: Pipe or spread the almond buttercream onto cooled cupcakes. Garnish with crushed almonds or whole maraschino cherries if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Piping: Use a piping bag for neat swirls. A resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped works well in a pinch.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice to milk and letting it sit briefly.
- Turn this into a cake: Pour the batter into a 9×9-inch pan and add a few extra minutes to the baking time—watch for doneness with a toothpick.
- Natural pink color: No food coloring is necessary—the cherry juice will give a lovely pink hue.
- Cake flour substitute: If you don’t have cake flour, make your own by measuring 1 cup all-purpose flour, removing 2 tablespoons, and replacing them with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Sift before using.
Stiff peaks for egg whites
Beating egg whites to stiff peaks can be tricky. To improve success:
- Use a clean metal or glass bowl; residue or plastic can interfere with whipping.
- Ensure no yolk contaminates the whites—even a little fat prevents proper volume.
- Add sugar slowly if a recipe calls for it; adding too quickly can deflate the whites.
- Bring eggs to room temperature before separating; they whip up better when not cold.
- Beat until peaks form and hold their shape when the beaters are lifted; if the peak collapses, continue beating a bit longer.
Storing Tips
Make ahead: Unfrosted cupcakes can be wrapped in plastic or stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Frost them the day you plan to serve them.
Frosting storage: Store leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. Bring it back to room temperature and re-whip slightly if needed before using.
Frosted cupcakes: Keep lightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Freezing: Wrap cooled unfrosted cupcakes tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, then frost before serving.
More cupcake recipes:
- Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
- Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
- Angel Food Cupcakes
- Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
Cherry Almond Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcake
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup cake flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk plus 2 tbsp
- 3 tbsp maraschino cherry juice
- 8 maraschino cherries, finely chopped
- 3 egg whites
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 3 1/2–4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two cupcake pans with liners.
- Cream butter and sugar until light. Add vanilla and almond extracts.
- Whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine buttermilk, cherry juice, and chopped cherries.
- With mixer on low, alternate adding dry and wet ingredients until just combined.
- Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold gently into batter.
- Fill liners 3/4 full and bake 20–25 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
- For frosting, beat butter with extracts and salt until fluffy. Add cream, then gradually add powdered sugar until desired consistency. Beat until light and smooth.
- Pipe or spread frosting on cooled cupcakes and garnish as desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
A lovely treat for Valentine’s Day or any special moment. Thanks to Natalie for the recipe.
For more from the contributor, visit Life Made Simple.