Cherry Buttermilk Cupcakes with Cherry Buttercream Frosting

February 10, 2012

Cherry Buttermilk Cupcakes with Cherry Buttercream Frosting

Don’t ya just love cupcakes? Especially buttermilk cupcakes?? These buttermilk cupcakes are loaded with tart cherry chunks then piled high with creamy cherry frosting. Mmmmmmmm, that’s all I’ve got to say.

Just kidding. As always, I’ve got plenty to say. Today we are discussing FLAT verses CURVY. Brace yourselves…

There are two kinds of cupcakes in this world, flat cupcakes and dome-shaped cupcakes. (What were YOU thinking we were talking about?)

Although the dome-shaped cupcakes are visually appealing, I’d like to make an argument for sad little flat cupcakes.

Cake batters that don’t rise as much are usually rich batters, heavy on butter. This is a good thing if making layer cakes. The layers are velvety with a small crumb, and very little has to be trimmed off the top to level them.

However with cupcakes, people seem to think of flat as a bad thing.

You could add more leavening and a little more flour to said cupcakes. That would give them the desirable dome-top, but alas, it would also mess up the brilliant silky texture that only GOOD buttery buttermilk cupcakes have.

So I say flat is a good thing. Dome-y cupcakes score points for appearance, but flat buttermilk cupcakes scored points for the texture… and isn’t what’s on the INSIDE more important?

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As for bonus points, flat cupcakes allow more room for PILES of cherry frosting. In my opinion, a cupcake is only worth eating if it’s 2-parts cake to 1-part frosting. When the frosting is good, it needs to be celebrated.

Buttermilk Cupcakes with cherry chunks and dreamy Cherry Frosting are admittedly flat-ish, yet they are RICH, buttery and moist with a tart finish from the cherries and buttermilk. The Cherry Frosting has a secret little kick from Kirsch, a cherry flavored brandy. Hick!

These whimsical cupcakes are the perfect way to celebrate Valentines Day. Here I made festive edible toppers by piping melted colored candy melts into hearts on parchment paper. They harden in minutes and are easy to personalize. Instead of hearts, you could pipe LOVE, or even names. Think of the possibilities!

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Yield: 30 cupcakes

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Buttermilk Cupcakes and Cherry Frosting

Ingredients:

For the Buttermilk Cake:
3 cups cake flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups full-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped frozen cherries

For the Cherry Frosting:
4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
8 - 11 cups powdered sugar
2 pinches of salt
1 1/2 Tb. vanilla extract
4 Tb. Kirsch (Cherry Brandy)
1-4 drops red food coloring *optional

Directions:

For the Buttermilk Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Mix the first four dry ingredients in a bowl.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy--3-5 minutes.

Add the egg, vanilla, cherries. Beat and scrape the bowl.

Alternate adding the buttermilk and flour mixture until batter in just combined. Scrape the bowl and mix again for just a moment.

Use a small measuring cup to fill the paper liners just over 1/2 full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of ta cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For the Cherry Frosting: Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl and beat in the salt, vanilla and Kirsch. Now add the powdered sugar, a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached--8-11 cups. Add food coloring if desired.

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and enjoy.