I’ll admit it, I’m obsessed with cherries lately. I think this is the
third cherry post within a week. But really who could complain about
that, right? Cherries are one of my favorite fruits. They always remind
me of the beach because I always take along a bag of cherries to snack
on (and licorice and a bag of potato chips that always ends up getting
full of sand). These, I wouldn’t recommend taking them too the beach,
too risky. No one wants a sandy cupcake or melted frosting. But, they
are perfect for a summer party. Maybe I’m making all these cherry posts
because they remind me of summer and yet where I live it still hasn’t
felt anything like summer (mid 40’s just isn’t cutting it for me). These
cupcakes however, are making it feel like a nice summer day around
here.
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I love how these are full of fresh lime flavor, thanks to
their generous amount of fresh lime zest, a bit of fresh lime juice and a
simple lime syrup glaze which is brushed along the tops of the freshly
baked cupcakes. The frosting screams cherry, not only with it’s color
but with the sweet flavor of the maraschino cherry juice mixed in. And
of course these couldn’t be cherry limeade cupcakes unless they were
finished atop with a cherry. Who could resist them?
Cherry Limeade Cupcakes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp lime zest
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp buttermilk
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Simple Syrup
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp granulted sugar
Frosting and topping
3/4 cup butter (I used 1/2 cup unsalted and 1/4 cup salted)
2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Few drops red food coloring (optional)
3 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice
12 maraschino cherries, lime slices and sugar crystal sprinkles
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift all-purpose flour and cake flour into a mixing bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk 20 seconds, set aside.
In a food processor, pulse together 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar with lime zest until finely ground, about 1 minute. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter with lime sugar mixture until pale and fluffy (if you don't have the paddle attachment that constantly scrapes bowl, then occasionally throughout entire mixing process, stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl). Mix in egg, then mix in egg whites one at a time, adding in vanilla with second egg white.
In the liquid measuring cup used to measure buttermilk, whisk together buttermilk with lime juice. Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture alternating with 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture and mixing just until combined after each addition. Divide batter among 12 paper lined muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean, about 18 - 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool several minutes in muffin tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly while preparing simple syrup.
For the simple syrup:
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp lime juice with 1 Tbsp granulated sugar until sugar has dissolved. Brush mixture over warm cupcakes (use all of it, I did about 2 light coats over each cupcake). Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
For the frosting:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter until pale and fluffy. Mix in 1/4 cup powdered sugar then mix in maraschino cherry juice and optional red food coloring. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add remaining 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar (add an additional 1/4 as needed to reach desired consistency), then increase mixer to medium and whip until light and fluffy. Pipe or spread over cooled cupcakes, top with each with a maraschino cherry and a lime slice and sprinkle edges with sprinkles if desired.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 Tbsp lime zest
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp buttermilk
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Simple Syrup
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp granulted sugar
Frosting and topping
3/4 cup butter (I used 1/2 cup unsalted and 1/4 cup salted)
2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cup powdered sugar
Few drops red food coloring (optional)
3 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice
12 maraschino cherries, lime slices and sugar crystal sprinkles
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift all-purpose flour and cake flour into a mixing bowl. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk 20 seconds, set aside.
In a food processor, pulse together 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar with lime zest until finely ground, about 1 minute. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter with lime sugar mixture until pale and fluffy (if you don't have the paddle attachment that constantly scrapes bowl, then occasionally throughout entire mixing process, stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl). Mix in egg, then mix in egg whites one at a time, adding in vanilla with second egg white.
In the liquid measuring cup used to measure buttermilk, whisk together buttermilk with lime juice. Working in three separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture alternating with 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture and mixing just until combined after each addition. Divide batter among 12 paper lined muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean, about 18 - 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool several minutes in muffin tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly while preparing simple syrup.
For the simple syrup:
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp lime juice with 1 Tbsp granulated sugar until sugar has dissolved. Brush mixture over warm cupcakes (use all of it, I did about 2 light coats over each cupcake). Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
For the frosting:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter until pale and fluffy. Mix in 1/4 cup powdered sugar then mix in maraschino cherry juice and optional red food coloring. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add remaining 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar (add an additional 1/4 as needed to reach desired consistency), then increase mixer to medium and whip until light and fluffy. Pipe or spread over cooled cupcakes, top with each with a maraschino cherry and a lime slice and sprinkle edges with sprinkles if desired.
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Recipe Source: Cooking Classy
