These fresh cherry cupcakes are made with fresh seasonal cherries. A light and fluffy butter-based vanilla batter infused with cherry puree and a hint of almond extract. Topped with a light and airy whipped cream buttercream swirl and fresh cherries. Perfect cupcakes to celebrate the cherry season.
This summer harvest brought in some really gorgeous stone fruits and berries. It's so difficult to pass by the grocer and not pick a bag of something fresh. I got a huge bag of cherries! So huge that the kids got to eat in plenty and we made a few other cherry treats like a cherry filling, cherry jam, and even my cherry cheesecake.
These cupcakes we made when Aadi had a few friends over to visit. All kids love cherries. Right? The little cherry hidden inside the cupcakes seemed to have gotten the kids all excited about the cupcakes. And of course, the girls, as usual, were fascinated with my buttercream swirl piping technique.
Table of Content
About these cupcakes
The batter is a very simple butter-based vanilla batter. I often use this as a one-bowl vanilla cupcake batter. Almond is always a wonderful combination with cherries, so I added a hint of almond extract and, of course, fresh cherries that I pulsed in the blender. I wanted a smooth pretty pink cupcake interior so I passed the cherry thru a sieve. And yet, you can also leave it pulpy. Look at how light and airy the inside of that cupcake is?
Ingredients and substitutes
- Cherries - I am using fresh cherries for the cupcakes and topping but you could also use frozen cherries. Of course, instead of cherries perhaps a few candy sprinkles would work if you don't have fresh cherries on hand.
- Butter - I prefer to use unsalted butter so I can control the quantity of sugar in my recipe. And yet, if salted butter is all you have, go ahead and use it. Just omit salt in the recipe.
- Eggs - Always use large size eggs when baking unless specified. The size of eggs varies significantly these days, so as a guide one large egg weighs between 50 to 60 grams.
- All-purpose flour - Yes, regular plain flour (maida) is all you need for these cupcakes. Do not use any self-raising flour as those contain more leavening.
- Sugar - I prefer to use white sugar so it won't alter the color of my cupcakes. And yet, feel free to use the same amount of light brown sugar. I would not recommend using dark brown sugar.
- Sour Cream - Gives the cake a soft crumb. If you don't get sour cream where you are, you can make sour cream at home. Here's how to make sour cream at home for baking. If you must you can also use yogurt.
Step by step instructions (pin)
For the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 160 C / 320 F.
- Line muffin pan with cupcake liners or use baking cups.
- Place half the cherries in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Pass through a sieve (optional). Set aside.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
- Add eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.
- Next, add flour, sour cream, and blended cherries - and combine well.
- Lastly, add the vanilla and almond extract.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners.
- Drop a pitted fresh cherry in the center of each batter.
- Bake on the center rack at 160 C / 320 F for about 20 to 25 minutes (mine took 20 mins).
- Cook cupcakes completely before frosting.
Prepare buttercream
- Cream the butter for a minute until smooth.
- Add half the sugar and fresh cream. And combine well.
- Then add the second half of the powdered sugar - combine well.
- Add vanilla and salt - and combine well.
- Now, whip until you have a light and fluffy whipped cream consistency buttercream - about 5 minutes.
Piping the buttercream
- Prepare a piping bag with a large star tip for piping.
- Smear the piping bag on one side with raspberry red food color gel.
- Place buttercream in the bag and secure the top.
- Pipe a large swirl on the cupcake. The red food color gel will create a pretty red swirl effect as I have on these cupcakes.
- Top with a fresh cherry.
12 Tips for baking perfect cupcakes
- Follow the recipe properly with minimum substitutions.
- Always use good quality ingredients.
- Make sure the ingredients are all at room temperature.
- Never over-mix the batter.
- Use a scoop for baking similar size cupcakes.
- Always preheat the oven before baking - a hot oven works best for cupcakes.
- Bake cupcakes at the right temperature.
- Always bake cupcakes on the center rack one tray at a time.
- Never open the oven during baking - no peeking.
- Remove cupcakes from their pan no later than 7 to 10 minutes after baking.
- Store cupcakes properly after baking. Place them in an airtight container at room temperature. Cupcakes dry in the fridge unless wrapped properly with plastic wrap.
- Simple syrup the cupcakes if you don't plan to eat them on the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Moist fluffy cupcakes are all about adding volume to your batter when mixing. Which means that knowing how to mix your batter is important.
Over-mixing the batter can collapse the cupcakes, thus taking away all that fluffiness. As a rule of thumb, cream butter and sugar until the sugar has almost melted - 2 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, and make sure each one is well incorporated.
Then, add the flour and liquid - but mix until just incorporated. It is easy to over mix at this stage.
There are a few things you can do - we discussed it in this post -- how to avoid cupcake liners peeling after baking.
There are few things you can do to bake similar size cupcakes - we discussed that in detail here - How to bake same size cupcakes.
You can place cupcakes in the fridge for a few minutes to cool them quickly. I like to place them for just 5 to 7 minutes in the freezer.
Never leave cupcakes in the fridge open for long as they will dry out.
I like to bake at 160 - 170 C, or 310 to 325 F, or Gas mark 2 - 3.
Depending on how hot your oven temperature is, cupcakes usually take between 18 to 22 minutes. If your cupcakes bake quicker than 18 minutes or longer than 22 minutes, it's probably best to check if your oven needs calibration.
What other frostings can I use instead of whipped cream buttercream?
Oh, these cupcakes are delicious with just about any frosting. I have shared with you more than 30 different buttercream flavors here on the blog but these are just a few suggestions.
- Butter-based buttercream – simple all-purpose buttercreams like my velvet American buttercream, vanilla buttercream (eggless).
- Decorators buttercream – often with all or some vegetable shortening to prevent the frosting from melting easily like my bakery style frostings – vanilla and chocolate frosting.
- Cream Cheese based – made with cream cheese often with or without butter like my classic cream cheese is made with butter which adds more stability and my no-butter cream cheese frosting when you want a more luxurious dessert type frosting.
- Meringue buttercream – made with the addition of whipped egg whites. Less sweet than the classic butter-based buttercream like my Swiss Meringue or Italian Meringue.
- Egg-based buttercream – like the French Buttercream and German buttercream made with egg yolks then whipped to make a light and fluffy frosting with the addition of butter.
- Whipped Cream Frosting – the lightest of them all is, of course, simple whipped cream. I shared 5 different methods to make whipped cream at home. As well as a whipped cream buttercream frosting.
SAVE THIS RECIPE ON PINTEREST FOR LATER. TRIED MY RECIPE? SHARE IT WITH ME, PLEASE.
Share a picture of your work with me by uploading an image here below my image on this board. You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
You may also like
- Decadent Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
- Pink Cherry Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Buttercream
- Strawberry Cream Cupcakes
- Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Jam Centers and Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Recipe
Fresh Cherry Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Buttercream
Print Pin RateDescription
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 4 oz (113 g) Butter ½ cup, 1 stick, unsalted room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) Granulated sugar
- 2 Eggs Large
- 1 ¾ cup (220 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) Sour cream
- 8 oz (8 oz) Cherries (pitted) 25 cherries
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp Almond extract
Whipped cream buttercream
- 8 oz (226 g) Unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups (240 g) Powdered sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) Whipping cream
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
FOR THE CUPCAKES
- Preheat oven to 160 C / 320 F.
- Line muffin pan with cupcake liners or use baking cups.
- Place half the cherries in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Pass thru a sieve (optional). Set aside.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.
- Next, add flour, sour cream, and blended cherries – and combine well.
- Lastly, add the vanilla.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners.
- Drop a pitted fresh cherry in the center of each batter.
- Bake on the center rack at 160 C / 320 F for about 20 to 25 minutes (mine took 20 mins).
- Cook cupcakes completely before frosting.
PREPARE BUTTERCREAM
- Cream the butter for a minute until smooth.
- Add half the sugar and fresh cream. Combine well.
- Then add the second half of the powdered sugar – and combine well.
- Add vanilla and salt – and combine well.
- Now, whip until you have a light and fluffy whipped cream consistency buttercream – about 5 minutes.
PIPING THE BUTTERCREAM.
- Prepare a piping bag with a large star tip for piping.
- Smear the piping bag on one side with raspberry red food color gel.
- Place buttercream in the bag and secure the top.
- Pipe a large swirl on the cupcake. The red food color gel will create a pretty red swirl effect as I have on these cupcakes.
- Top with a fresh cherry.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Emily
Great recipe! I’ll take any excuse to eat in season cherries.
Veena Azmanov
I hear you, Emily. We love cherries anything too.
Heidy L. McCallum
Veena;
I just wanted to share a few thoughts with you. First off I am always so impressed with your wonderful recipes and the wonderful instructions you give. You have no idea how much it means to me to be able to recreate wonderful meals and desserts like this recipe for Pink Cherry Cupcakes. My family really enjoyed them!
Have a wonderful day and please keep the fabulous recipes coming!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much, Heidy. So happy to hear you enjoy my blog so much. I do know how much it means because I am self-taught myself. so happy you and your family enjoyed my cupcakes and other recipes. Thank you.
Pam Greer
We have been making these cupcakes for years! They are my granddaughter's favorite!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much, Pam.So happy to hear you have been enjoying these cupcakes. They are one of our favorites too.
Anita
These cherry cupcakes are so pretty. As much as I love the cherries on top, I think it's the secret hidden cherries inside the cupcakes that makes me happier. 🙂
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Anita. yes, the cherry filling inside is so yum
Jacqueline Debono
I love these cupcakes! We live in a big cherry growing area in Northern Italy and right now it's cherry season so I can literally pick as many from the trees as I want! Going to try these cupcakes before the season is over!
Veena Azmanov
Thanks, Jacqueline. We love cherries but we have to buy them from the supermarket.