Cherry Almond Cupcakes

Yield: 24

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 17 minutes

Total Time 32 minutes

Almond cupcakes topped with cherry buttercream frosting.

Cherry Almond Cupcakes have a rich almond flavor and are topped with fluffy cherry buttercream frosting! Take a break from the chocolate desserts and give these cherry almond cupcakes a try instead.

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

1 box (18.5 ounce) butter cake mix
3 large eggs
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
⅔ cup water
1 Tablespoon almond extract

For the Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup maraschino cherry juice
6 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, mix all the cupcake ingredients together. Line cupcake pan with paper wrappers. Fill cupcakes ½ full.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-17 minutes. Remove and cool completely. You can also make mini cupcakes if you prefer, baking for about 10 minutes.
For the frosting, combine butter with powdered sugar, cherry juice and almond extract. When combined, beat on high for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
Fill decorating bag and using tip of your choice, frost each cupcake. Enjoy!

Notes

If you don't have a frosting bag: You can use a spatula to spread a layer of frosting; they won't look as "finished" but they still taste great. You can also use a ziploc bag. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes as desired.

For mini cupcakes: Divide the batter evenly into your mini muffin pan and bake for about 10 minutes.

How do you freeze buttercream frosting? If you want to make the buttercream frosting in advance, it keeps well covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or, transfer it to an airtight freezer safe container and you can keep it in the freezer for as long as 3 months.

How do you store Almond Cupcakes? Keep these almond cupcakes covered and enjoy them within 3 days for best flavor. These also freeze well! I prefer to freeze the almond cupcakes un-frosted in a ziploc bag, then frost them after they've thawed.

Can I use a homemade cake batter instead of mix? Absolutely. Try our vanilla cake and add almond extract for the perfect base. If you can't find the "butter cake mix," swap it out for yellow cake mix or even white cake mix.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 cupcake
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 313Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 176mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 0gSugar: 39gProtein: 2g

*Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.