Cherry Cupcakes, dairy and egg-free options

These gluten free cherry cupcakes feature a soft pink cupcake filled with maraschino cherries and topped with creamy maraschino cherry frosting. It is SO delicious, plus so easy to bake.

PREP TIME:  30 minutes           COOK TIME:  20 – 25 minutes

TOTAL TIME:  50 – 55 minutes + time for frosting and decorating

YIELD:           16 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups Metta Gluten Free flour
• 1 jar (10 oz) maraschino cherries, drained, but reserve liquid
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• ½ cup whole milk (sub unsweetened soy milk)
• 2 eggs, whisked (sub egg replacement like flax eggs)
• *If using flax eggs, use 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (ACV)
• ½ cup unsalted butter (sub vegan butter like Earth Balance)
• ½ cup of maraschino cherry liquid
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp almond extract
• ½ salt (skip if using vegan Earth Balance butter)
• (Optional) pink or red food color

Frosting

• 2/3 cup butter, softened not melted (sub vegan butter)
• 3 ½ cups powdered sugar (sub organic, which is vegan)
• 2 Tbsp milk (sub soy milk)
• 1 Tbsp maraschino cherry liquid
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 drops of red color (optional)
• Garnish with maraschino cherries with or without stems

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin cups with paper baking cups and set aside.
2. Chop cherries finely and place them in paper-towel plate to drain while preparing batter.
3. In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. In an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until well mixed OR use a hand-held electric mixer.
5. In a small bowl, blend the cherry liquid with milk and the almond extract.
6. Beginning and ending with flour mixture, alternately add flour mixture and cherry mixture to butter mixture, beating the mixtures well in between additions.
7. Add few drops of the food coloring if desired.
8. Fold in the whisked eggs or flax eggs with ACV. Then, fold in the chopped cherries.
9. Spoon the batter into the already prepared muffins cups. Filling each about ¾ full.
10. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Make sure to test with a skewer in the middle of the cupcake and check if the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the center.
11. While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting in an electric mixer. Start by beating the softened butter for a bit until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Then add the cherry liquid, milk, vanilla extract and color if desired. Beat the frosting for 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
12. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes as you wish and garnish each cupcake with a cherry.

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Any questions or concerns or ideas on how to improve our recipe and/or process, please feel free to contact us at mettagfatta@gmail.com