A classic dessert that brightens any occasion are cupcakes with frosting and a cherry on top. These delicious sweets’ soft, fluffy base and lovely, creamy frosting perfectly encapsulate the spirit of celebration. Each cupcake is a small work of art, as beautiful to look at as they are to taste, and is topped with a glossy maraschino cherry.
What You Can Learn From This Recipe?
This recipe shows you how to make a classic buttercream frosting and how to make a perfectly moist cupcake. Additionally, you’ll learn how to decorate so that your cupcakes seem bakery-quality.
What I Love About This Recipe?
The simplicity of these cupcakes has a certain allure. I adore how the vibrant cherry turns the dessert into a showpiece by adding a whimsical yet sophisticated touch.
What’s the Best Way to Store Leftovers?
Cupcakes should be kept in an airtight container. They can be stored in the fridge for up to five days or at room temperature for up to two days. For optimal flavor, let chilled cupcakes come to room temperature before serving.
What to Serve With It?
Serve these cupcakes with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk. Serve with other finger appetizers, such as fresh fruit skewers or small quiches, at gatherings.
Cupcakes with Frosting and Cherry on Top: Sweet Bites of Delight
Description
These cupcakes have the ideal balance of velvety icing and soft, moist cake, and they are finished with a pretty cherry for the ultimate delight. This dish is a straightforward yet sophisticated way to wow, whether you're celebrating a major event or just need a midweek pick-me-up. The cherry offers a burst of color and a delicious taste, and the icing adds sweetness and a creamy texture.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Frosting
Topping
Instructions
How to Make Cupcakes with Frosting!
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Prepare the Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and place cupcake liners in a muffin tin.
- In one bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
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Bake the Cupcakes
- Spoon the batter evenly into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds of the way.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Make the frosting
- To make the frosting, beat the butter until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and mix well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract and milk, a tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. (If using food coloring, mix it in now.)
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Decorate the Cupcakes
- Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, pipe or spread the frosting on top.
- Place a maraschino cherry on the center of each cupcake for a beautiful finishing touch.
Servings 12
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 250kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 11g17%
- Saturated Fat 7g35%
- Cholesterol 55mg19%
- Sodium 90mg4%
- Potassium 50mg2%
- Total Carbohydrate 35g12%
- Protein 2g4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- To make the cupcakes extra festive, add sprinkles to the batter or on top of the frosting.
- For a tangy twist, substitute the vanilla extract in the frosting with almond or lemon extract.
- Keep any leftover cupcakes in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Journey of Cupcakes with Frosting and a Cherry on Top
More than just a snack, cupcakes are a representation of joy, creativity, and celebration. In the early 19th century, when baking was a craft characterized by dense cakes and elaborate pastries, their narrative starts. Something revolutionary was made possible by the creation of cupcakes: a more manageable, smaller treat that could be produced in a fraction of the time.
The name cupcakes comes from the fact that they were first mentioned in American cookbooks in the late 1700s, when they were characterized as little cakes made in individual molds or teacups. These early cupcakes were straightforward and frequently flavored with simple ingredients like raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Baking in teacups was not only feasible but also convenient during a time before specialty bakeware was readily accessible.
Because to developments in baking technology, cupcakes became a common sight in American homes by the middle of the 20th century. Everyone, from experienced bakers to working parents, could now bake thanks to the invention of cupcake pans, packaged cake mixes, and premade frostings. Cupcakes evolved during this period from practical snacks to representations of home warmth and nostalgia, appearing on everything from sophisticated party tables to kids' lunchboxes.
The Evolution of Frosting: A Canvas for Creativity
Cupcake frosting has a long and illustrious history of its own. Cupcakes were frequently left unadorned or sprinkled with powdered sugar in the past. Thanks to advancements in sugar refining techniques and the accessibility of butter, icing didn't start to appear on cakes until the late 1800s.
Frosting gave rise to countless creative opportunities. From chocolate ganache to whipped cream, buttercream to cream cheese, icing evolved as a means of transforming cupcakes from simple confections into works of culinary art. With swirls, rosettes, and vivid colors giving a whimsical touch, frosting today is as much about taste as it is about appearance.
The cupcake's reputation as a delicious, celebratory dessert was cemented with the inclusion of a cherry on top, a characteristic taken from traditional sundaes. In addition to being just ornamental, the vivid red cherry is a lighthearted homage to the custom of "putting the cherry on top," which represents the final touch of perfection.
A Global Favorite
Despite their American origins, cupcakes' appeal swiftly expanded throughout the world. Cupcakes in the UK are frequently referred to as "fairy cakes," a moniker that conjures images of magic and whimsy. The term "patty cakes," which emphasizes their small, individual size, is used in Australia. Whatever their name, cupcakes are adored all around the world for their attractiveness and adaptability.
Additionally, cupcakes have been incorporated into cultural festivities. Cupcakes in Mexico, for instance, frequently have festive embellishments for Christmas or DÃa de los Muertos. Cupcakes in Japan are a canvas for elaborate frosting art that mimics flowers, animals, or fictional characters, known as kawaii (cute) patterns. This worldwide flexibility demonstrates how popular cupcakes are everywhere.
Cupcakes in the Modern Era
Cupcakes saw a resurgence in the twenty-first century. Cupcakes gained gourmet status because to specialty cupcake bakeries like New York City's famous Magnolia Bakery. These bakeries sparked a new wave of culinary innovation in home kitchens by introducing unusual flavor combinations such salted caramel, lemon lavender, and red velvet with cream cheese icing.
The popularity of cupcakes was further stoked by television programs like Cupcake Wars, which highlighted the creativity and rivalry that go into making these little but powerful treats. Cupcakes have become a visual phenomenon thanks to social media sites like Instagram, where bakers share their creative flavors and elaborate designs with audiences all over the world.
The Science of the Perfect Cupcake
It takes both science and creativity to make the ideal cupcake. The ratio of wet to dry ingredients must be carefully considered in order to produce a soft, moist crumb. Cupcakes get their distinctive lightness from methods like creaming sugar and butter, which guarantee that air is mixed into the batter.
Frosting has its own science as well. The texture and durability of the frosting are influenced by the fat-to-sugar ratio, ingredient temperature, and mixing technique. When it comes to making a cupcake that tastes as amazing as it looks, these seemingly insignificant elements make all the difference.
Why We Love Cupcakes
People of all ages are drawn to cupcakes. From picking out the flavor to licking the frosting off the top, they are a source of delight for kids. Adults frequently associate cupcakes with celebrations, festivals, and birthdays. While their ornamental appeal provides a feeling of occasion, their individual size gives them a personal touch.
Cupcakes continue to be pleasantly simple in a world when sweets are becoming more and more complex. They serve as a reminder that pleasure doesn't have to be difficult and that joy may be found in little packages.
Fun Facts About Cupcakes
- National Cupcake Day: In the United States, National Cupcake Day is celebrated on December 15th, a testament to the dessert’s popularity.
- World Record: The largest cupcake ever made weighed over 1,200 pounds and required 800 eggs to create!
- Cupcake vs. Muffin: While similar in shape, cupcakes are sweeter and have frosting, while muffins are denser and often healthier.
- Celebrity Status: Cupcakes have appeared in pop culture, from the Sex and the City series to countless baking competitions.
A Dessert for All Occasions
Cupcakes are a message rather than just a dessert. They can be served at weddings, business gatherings, or informal get-togethers, and they always look elegant and charming. Their adaptability enables them to be as sophisticated or as whimsical as you like, yet their simplicity makes them approachable.
It's difficult to avoid experiencing a moment of pure joy when you bite into a cupcake, with its soft texture and rich frosting. And adding a cherry on top makes you appreciate life's small pleasures, which are sweet, uncomplicated, and deserving of appreciation.
I appreciate you joining me on this delectable adventure!