Cherry Almond Cupcakes

Cherry almond cupcakes are pretty in pink! Moist and fluffy cherry almond cake studded with maraschino cherries and swirled with cherry almond buttercream frosting! This cupcake recipe is the perfect dessert for cherry lovers!

Ingredients for Cherry Almond Cupcakes

Cherry Almond Cupcakes

• All-purpose flour – Fluff the flour before measuring and level the measuring cups.
• Granulated sugar – For sweetness.
• Baking powder – Leavening agent to help the cupcakes rise.
• Salt – Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
• Milk – Room temperature.
• Egg whites – Room temperature. Save the egg yolks for vanilla crème brûlée!
• Sour cream – Room temperature. Sour cream adds moisture to the cake and compensates for the lack of egg yolks.
• Vegetable oil – Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
• Almond extract – Almond extract gives the cupcakes a delicious almond flavor.
• Maraschino cherry juice – The bright red juice from a jar of maraschino cherries. This adds flavor and color to the cupcake batter.
• Maraschino cherries – Chop the cherries into fine pieces so there are bits of cherry throughout the cupcakes.

Cherry Almond Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted butter – Room temperature for easy creaming.
• Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar. You do not need to sift the powdered sugar unless it is lumpy.
• Salt – A bit of salt adds some contrast to the sweetness of the frosting and enhances the flavors.
• Almond extract – Almond extract gives the frosting amazing almond flavor.
• Maraschino cherry juice – For cherry flavor and beautiful pale pink color.
• Heavy cream – Heavy cream helps the buttercream whip up to be smooth and creamy.

How to Make Cherry Almond Cupcakes

Cherry almond cupcakes are easy to make and only requires a mixing bowl and a whisk! The batter comes together in less than 5 minutes!

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F & line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add in milk, egg whites, vegetable oil, sour cream, almond extract, and maraschino cherry juice.
4. Whisk the flour mixture and wet ingredients together until combined and smooth. Add in the chopped maraschino cherries and mix until the cherries are dispersed throughout the batter.
5. Portion the cupcake batter into cupcake liners using a large cookie scoop, 3/4 full. Be sure to get cherry bits in eat scoopful.
6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until the cupcakes bounce back when gently touched.
7. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Make Cherry Almond Buttercream Frosting

To make the cherry almond buttercream frosting, I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or an electric hand mixer with a large bowl.

1. Whip the butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
2. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on low. Then add the remaining half and continue to mix on low speed.
3. Add in the salt and almond extract and continue to mix on low. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is well mixed.
4. Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream and maraschino cherry juice while mixing on low speed.
5. Turn the mixer to medium-high and whip for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
6. Switch to a paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 2-3 minutes to remove air bubbles for a smooth buttercream.