Maraschino Cherries are one of those foods that remind me my childhood. Every time I eat one, I think about Kiddie Cocktails, and ice cream sundaes!!

There are many things that make these cupcakes so amazing. The first one is of course the maraschino cherries! They taste great, and they give an adorable pink hint of color to the cupcakes!

This recipe also uses almond extract…YUM

Lastly, the frosting has cream cheese. You can’t possibly go wrong with cherries, almond, and cream cheese (oh my!).

Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 t pure vanilla extract
• 1 t almond extract
• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 2 cups flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice
• 6-8 maraschino cherries diced
• Maraschino cherries for garnish (optional)

Yields about 20 cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat butter until it is light and fluffy. It will turn lighter in color.
2. Add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until combined. Add in egg whites one at a time, mixing after each addition.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and cherry juice. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the large mixing bowl, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix after each addition. Fold in the diced cherries.
4. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Scoop batter into the liners. Bake for 18-20 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Maraschino-Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 3 T maraschino cherry juice
• 1/2 t almond extract

1. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together until well combined and fluffy. Slowly add in 2 cups of powdered sugar, and beat until fluffy.
2. Add in cherry juice and almond extract. Slowly add in the remaining powdered sugar. Beat for 3-4 minutes, or until the frosting is thick enough to pipe. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. If desired, top cupcakes with maraschino cherry garnish.

Recipe adapted from GIMME SOME OVEN