Move over, cherry chip boxed cake mix- homemade cherry chip cupcakes are not just super simple and easy to make, but they are ten thousand times better.

I recently branched out with my blog and began baking for friends and family.  I didn’t think people would order from me, because to make it worth my time, I had to make my stuff kind of expensive.

I can’t believe the support I have received! In the last two months, I have completed over thirty orders for cakes, cupcakes, and pies.

These cherry chip cupcakes were requested for a sweet little girl’s Trolls birthday party.  She wanted them to resemble the cupcakes that come out of Cooper’s butt.  Haha appetizing, right?  They are pink cupcakes with a cherry on top, and these fit the bill perfectly.

They are incredibly moist, but also dense (I always like it when a handheld treat holds together in your hand) perfectly flavored, and completely delicious.

This recipe makes 24-26 cupcakes.

Enjoy.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp almond extract
2 large eggs
1 cup hot water
10 oz jar of maraschino cherries, diced finely

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a cupcake pan with liners.  Chop up your cherries and reserve the juice.
2. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large mixer bowl and combine. Set aside.
3. Add the milk, cherry juice, vegetable oil, vanilla and almond extracts and eggs to a medium sized bowl and combine.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat until well combined.
5. Slowly add the water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined. Add the cherries and mix well.
6. Fill the cupcake liners about half way and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7. Remove the cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Once cool frost with vanilla almond buttercream.

Vanilla Almond Buttercream Ingredients:
1 cup butter, room temperature
4 1/2 – 5 cups powdered sugar (depending on desired consistency)
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup (plus a bit more depending on consistency) of heavy cream or whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

Directions:
Beat butter in a mixer until light and fluffy.  Add salt, vanilla, and almond extracts.  Add sugar one cup at a time, beating well between each cup.  Slowly add cream until you reach your desired spreading consistency.  I pipe mine onto my cupcakes with a rosette tip.