Did you know that today is National Cupcake Lover’s Day? It is, and I am celebrating with some blogger friends by sharing a tasty and fun list of cupcakes for you to make and enjoy! Of course, cupcakes are the perfect treat any day, and who can resist them? They are little bites of heaven, in a large variety of flavors and designs, and I am betting you will find your new favorite cupcake today! I baked these fun Cherry Vanilla Cupcakes for you. They are stuffed full of fresh cherries and topped with a dollop of cherry cream cheese frosting and some chocolate sprinkles! 
Cherry Vanilla Cupcakes
( makes 1 dozen cupcakes)
(printable recipe at end of page)
2 pounds Fresh Cherries
2 cups all purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Butter
1 3/4 cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
4 Egg Whites
1 1/3 cup Buttermilk
Frosting
1 3 ounce package Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup Butter, softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 1/4 cups Confectioner’s Sugar, sifted
Cherry Juice
12 additional Fresh Cherries, with stem left on 
Remove the stem and the pit from each cherry. Chop the cherries into small pieces. Set aside.
Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the egg whites one at a time, beating after each addition, just until combined. Add the flour mix and the buttermilk alternately to the beaten mixture, using low speed.
Add 1 tablespoon of flour to the chopped cherries, and then add the cherries to the batter.
Add the batter to the cupcake cups.
Bake for 15-18 minutes in a 350 degree oven, then let cool on a cooling rack.
While you are letting the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Mix together the cream cheese, softened butter, and vanilla until it is fluffy. Sift the confectioners sugar and then add it to the cream cheese mix, a little at a time, using low speed. Add cherry juice as needed to get the color you want.
Add a small dollop of frosting to the center of each cupcake. Sprinkle the frosting with a small amount of chocolate sprinkles, and place a fresh cherry with the stem still attached in the center of the frosting. If you want to pit these cherries, use a small knife to cut them at the bottom to remove the pit. Leave the stem attached. 
Thank you for celebrating #CupcakeLoversDay with me! Keep scrolling down to find more fun and tasty cupcakes that I know you will love! Don’t they all look fabulous?!!
Busy Bee Honey Vanilla Cupcakes by For The Love of Food
Butter Pecan Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting by A Little Fish in the Kitchen
Cheesecake Cupcakes by Walking on Sunshine Recipes
Cherry Limeade Cupcakes by That Recipe
Cherry Vanilla Cupcakes by The Freshman Cook
Chocolate Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Frosting by Cooking for my Soul
Chocolate Irish Cream Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting by Daily Dish Recipes
Cookies & Cream Cupcakes by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Creamsicle Cupcakes by Red Cottage Chronicles
Gluten Free Rocky Road Cupcakes by Frugal & Fit
Honey Lemon’s HoneyBee Cupcakes by Simply Inspired Meals
Lemon Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting by The Olive Blogger
Lemon Lavender Blackberry Cupcakes by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Lost Princess Cupcakes by Seduction in the Kitchen
Orange You Glad Cupcakes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes by The Beard and The Baker
Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes by Crumb Top Baking
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes by Bowl Me Over
Pudding Pop Cupcakes by Nik Snacks
Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting by Join Us, Pull Up a Chair
Strawberry Basil Cupcakes with Chocolate Balsamic Frosting by The Spiffy Cookie
Strawberry Cupcakes by Confessions of a Baking Queen
Strawberry Jello Cupcakes by Kelly Lynn’s Sweets and Treats
Sweet Summertime Cupcakes by Cooking with Carlee
Vanilla Bourbon Bacon Cupcakes by Our Good Life
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes by Simple Family Crazy Life
Watermelon Themed Cake & Cupcakes by The Mandatory Mooch
White Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes by Triple Chocolate Kitchen
Thank you to Valentina, who blogs over at The Baking Fairy, for organizing this fun and tasty Cupcake Celebration! It has been a blast!
prep time: cook time: total time:
Cupcakes and Frosting
- 2 pounds Fresh Cherries
- 2 cups all purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1 3/4 cups Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 4 Egg Whites
- 1 1/3 cup Buttermilk
- Frosting
- 1 3 ounce package Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup Butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups Confectioner’s Sugar, sifted
- Cherry Juice
- 12 additional Fresh Cherries, with stem left on
- Remove the stem and the pit from each cherry. Chop the cherries into small pieces. Set aside.
- Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the egg whites one at a time, beating after each addition, just until combined. Add the flour mix and the buttermilk alternately to the beaten mixture, using low speed.
- Add 1 tablespoon of flour to the chopped cherries, and then add the cherries to the batter.
- Add the batter to the cupcake cups.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes in a 350 degree oven, then let cool on a cooling rack.
- While you are letting the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Mix together the cream cheese, softened butter, and vanilla until it is fluffy. Sift the confectioners sugar and then add it to the cream cheese mix, a little at a time, using low speed. Add cherry juice as needed to get the color you want.
- Add a small dollop of frosting to the center of each cupcake. Sprinkle the frosting with a small amount of chocolate sprinkles, and place a fresh cherry with the stem still attached in the center of the frosting. If you want to pit these cherries, use a small knife to cut them at the bottom to remove the pit. Leave the stem attached.
cupcakes, cherries, fresh cherries, cream cheese frosting
cakes, cupcakes, fresh cherries
Dessert
