This Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe is perfect for National Cherry Month, Valentine’s Day or any time of year!
While this Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe is delicious any time of year, it is particularly fitting for February. Not only is it National Cherry Month, but these red and white cuties are perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Later in the year, these pretty and tasty cherry cupcakes also add a summery feel to your picnic or backyard BBQ.
Maraschino Cherries flavor the batter and add a pop of color to the cupcakes and the frosting also has a hint of cherry flavor thanks to the cherry liquid.
If you want to add even more bright red color to your cupcake presentation, you can bake them in red foil cupcake liners. Their shiny surface will play off those bright red cherries.
For another delicious cherry recipe, try our Maraschino Cherry Cookies recipe! They’re super easy to make starting with a boxed cake mix.
Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe
Yields: 18 cupcakes
Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
1 jar (10 oz) maraschino cherries, drained, liquid reserved
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups sugar
½ cup maraschino cherry liquid
¼ cup whole milk
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 egg whites, beaten
Optional: pink food color
Frosting:
Reserved 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry liquid
1 cup butter, softened
3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Garnish:
18 maraschino cherries with stems
How to Make Cherry Cupcakes:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups; set aside.
2. Finely chop cherries and place in paper-towel-lined bowl to drain while preparing batter.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
4. In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup cherry liquid, the milk and 2 teaspoons almond extract.
5. Beginning and ending with flour mixture, alternately add flour mixture and cherry mixture to butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
If desired, stir in a few drops of food coloring until desired pink color is achieved.
Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Fold in chopped cherries. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
6. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in center. Remove from muffin cups to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
7. To make frosting, combine butter, sugar and salt in a bowl. Beat until blended.
8. Add the milk, vanilla and cherry liquid and beat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
9. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and garnish each with 1 cherry with stem.
Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 10 oz Jar maraschino cherries drained, liquid reserved
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherry liquid
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 2 egg whites beaten
- pink food color optional
Frosting
- 1 Tbsp reserved maraschino cherry liquid
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3 1/2 cups cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Garnish
- 18 maraschino cherries with stems
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups; set aside.
- Finely chop cherries and place in paper-towel-lined bowl to drain while preparing batter.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
- In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
- In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup cherry liquid, the milk and 2 teaspoons almond extract.
- Beginning and ending with flour mixture, alternately add flour mixture and cherry mixture to butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
- If desired, stir in a few drops of food coloring until desired pink color is achieved.
- Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Fold in chopped cherries.
- Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in center. Remove from muffin cups to cooling rack.
- Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- To make frosting, combine butter, sugar and salt in a bowl. Beat until blended.
- Add the milk, vanilla and cherry liquid and beat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
- Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and garnish each with 1 cherry with stem.
A.G.S says
I made these around a year ago and they were great! They maybe were a tad dense and dry, but I might’ve overbaked them. I was wondering though, do you think these could be made as mini cupcakes? What would you do differently?
Chrysa says
Yes, you could make these as mini cupcakes but you would need to reduce the baking time as the smaller size will cook much more quickly.
pat says
great site thanks
Diandra says
How many eggs cause I saw 3 in the picture and you said 2
Romona says
These cupcakes are out of the world they’re so good
Sibil says
Made them for work potluck, barely had enough cause my family ate most of them! Definite hit!!
Chrysa says
So happy to hear everyone liked them!
Alice says
To what stage should the egg whites be beaten?
Chrysa says
Just before adding them to the other ingredients in Step 5.
Lisa D Miner says
Is 1 Tablespoon of baking powder really the correct amount?
Chrysa says
Yes. There is no baking soda in the recipe so it’s needs more baking powder.
Amanda Brewer says
These were yummy!
Chrissy says
I have been craving maraschino cherries here lately and decided to give these cupcakes a shot today. I was a little concerned about the batter until I folded the egg whites in, it was magical! Anyways, the cherry and almond extract together make the perfect cupcake. I’m not a fan of the Wilton buttercream icing so I doubled the cherry juice to try and mask the powdered sugar flavor….I loved this cupcake! Thank you so much for posting this 🙂
Chrysa says
Hi, Chrissy! I’m so glad you liked the recipe! That was a good idea to add the extra cherry juice. You could really substitute this particular icing with another type completely, but your trick sounds like it worked!
Romona says
Yeah
Barbara Atkinson says
Would it still work if I put a chocolate kiss in the center? Would the baking time change?
Chrysa says
Hi, Barbara. I have never tried that so I can’t give you a definite answer, but I am pretty sure that would work at the same baking time. It sounds yummy! Let me know how they turn out!
Heather says
How would I adjust these for high altitude? I live in Colorado and I know you have to adjust recipes for baking.
Chrysa says
Hi Heather. Unfortunately, I don’t know anything about high altitude baking. I found some tips here that might help: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Lesley F says
These look delicious and perfect for Valentines Day
Betsy Barnes says
These look so good! I love maraschino cherries and have a cookie recipe that uses them like your recipe, they taste amazing. I am betting these have a fantastic flavor! 🙂
Janet W. says
This looks delicious and I love the fresh ingredients! So festive and perfect to give as a special treat to someone on Valentine’s day!
Shell Feis says
Those are so cute- and perfect for Valentine’s Day! I had no idea it was National Cherry Month either, how funny!