Yield: 12 cupcakes
Skill level: Moderate
Rainier cherries offer a delicious sweetness and texture that make them a true summer staple! The crisp freshness is brought into these homemade cupcakes with purée in the cake itself as well as the frosting. Totally delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Rainier cherries, stems removed and pitted
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Frosting
- ¼ cup puréed Rainier cherries
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup dairy-free butter (must be cold)
- ½ teaspoon almost extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Slivered almonds for topping
Directions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- Add pitted cherries to a food processor and purée. Set aside.
- Add all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt to a bowl and mix together.
- Add the cherry purée, almond extract, vanilla oil, apple cider vinegar, and mix into the batter. Do not overmix; it will seem a little thick and chunky, which is okay.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes. Insert a toothpick to test when done; it should come out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Place butter in a mixing bowl; make sure the butter is very cold.
- Cream the butter until it just starts to break apart.
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and beat again.
- Add in cherry purée, almond, and vanilla extract, and beat again.
- Add in remaining powdered sugar and blend again until well combined.
- Use to frost cupcakes right away or store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
After frosting the cupcakes, sprinkle them with slivered almonds and add a Rainier cherry on top.
Recipe created by Azure Farm for Superfresh Growers.
