Cherry Buttermilk Cupcakes with Cherry Buttercream Frosting
Cherry Buttermilk Cupcakes with Cherry Buttercream Frosting – These buttermilk cupcakes are loaded with tart cherry chunks then piled high with creamy cherry frosting.
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?
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!
More Valentines Goodies
Valentines Trail Mix with Printable Tags
Chocolate Pomegranate Petit Fours
Heart Cake Pops ~ 52 Kitchen Adventures
Strawberry Almond French Toast ~ Savory Sweet Life
Salted Chocolate Caramel Squares ~ My Man’s Belly
Gluten Free Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes ~ Bella Nutella
Cherry Buttermilk Cupcakes with Cherry Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
For the Buttermilk Cake:
- 3 cups cake flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat buttermilk
- 1/2 cup chopped frozen cherries
For the Cherry Frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened
- 8 - 11 cups powdered sugar
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons Kirsch cherry brandy
- 1-4 drops red food coloring optional
Instructions
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 a 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.
These look absolutely divine! I love a flat top cupcakes for piling on the frosting!
However, I should warn you…one of my cupcake recipe makes a flat top cupcake and I STILL get hate mail for it. I posted it over a year ago. I even warned people in the recipe that the cupcakes are flat, and I still get complaints. I really hope this doesn’t happen to you!
Happy Valentine’s Day! :)
Thanks for the warning. :)
These cupcakes are beautiful and sound delicious! I have a question though. I cannot find frozen cherries. Can I use fresh? If I do find frozen at some point do you thaw them before putting them in the batter?
Love cherry everything!!! Such pretty cupcakes with those hearts.
Pinky and pretty! Bet they are delicious!
These are so cute and sound delicious!! I love buttermilk and have some I need to use up so these sound perfect ;-) Pinned! Thanks. I’d also like to invite you to link up this recipe at my vday blog hop: http://www.katherinemartinelli.com/blog/2012/chocolate-covered-strawberries-recipe/
SO festive!!! And yummy, too….perfect for my Valentines :)
I’m with ya, a flatter cupcake makes more room for extra frosting!
I love buttermilk in muffins ooooo much and I can imagine it would be equally fabulous in cupcakes.
I have, in fact, had a buttermilk cherry muffin – but these look perfect for a special occasion – so pretty too!!!
I like A Spicy Perspective on FB
you had me at full-fat buttermilk! this is a great recipe. definitely want to try it.
So pretty! :) Love the flavors, and hey, Kirsch I’m always in for ;)
And this right here is why I always love opening my email when it say A Spicy Perspective on it!
These are perfect, flat or domed!
I smiled just looking at these cupcakes, and I can imagine how exciting it would be to make them and give them away! I came to the right place for Valentine’s ideas for my son’s class. You never disappoint!
Those are so adorable!
I’m not really a cake eater but those are so cute! Although I prefer almost no frosting. I’m a freak that way.
So glad to see frozen cherries in the cupcakes instead of dried. They sound wonderful. I agree with your frosting/cupcake ratios. The more frosting, the more memorable the treat!
I just bought some v-day wrappers and was wondering what kind of cupcake to make for our offices and staff. I have plenty of frozen cherries so I am going to try this! Thank you!