Cherry Vanilla Cupcakes
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Gluten free vanilla cupcakes flavored with fresh cherry puree and topped with a cherry cream cheese frosting.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 24
Ingredients
  • For Cupcakes:
  • 1½ sticks butter, room temperature
  • 1¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond)
  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 1 cup white rice flour
  • ½ cup potato starch
  • ½ cup tapioca starch
  • 1 cup gluten free oat flour
  • ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup pureed cherry juice (about 1½ cups pitted cherries)
  • For Frosting:*
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup pureed cherry juice (about ½ cup pitted cherries)
  • pinch of salt
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice (or almond extract)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two regular sized muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.
  2. For cupcakes, in a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat for 1 minute after each addition. Add vanilla, or almond extract, and beat until incorporated.
  3. In a smaller mixing bowl, sift together white rice four, potato starch, tapioca starch, gluten free oat flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add half of this sifted mixture to egg mixture and mix until combined.
  4. Add sour cream to mixing bowl and mix until combined. Add remaining sifted flour mixture to mixing bowl and mix until combined.
  5. Wash and remove pits from about 2 cups of cherries (for cupcakes and frosting). Place in a food processor and pulse until smooth juice forms. Measure 1 cup of juice and add to cupcake mixture. Beat until combined and then 2 minutes more. Reserve remaining cherry juice for frosting.
  6. Fill cupcake liners ⅔ way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until edges are lightly brown and tops bounce back with touch of a finger. Remove and cool on cooling rack for 2 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pan and finish cooling on rack until ready to be frosted.
  7. To make frosting, beat cream cheese and 1½ cups of powdered sugar. Add pinch of salt, ⅓ cup cherry juice and lemon juice (or almond extract) and beat until combined. Add remaining 1½ cups of powdered sugar and beat until combined. If you would like a thicker frosting, continue adding powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved.
  8. Spoon frosting/glaze onto tops of cupcakes and garnish with fresh cherries.
Notes
*I preferred my frosting for this recipe to be more of a glaze. If you would like it thicker for piping, just continue to add more powdered sugar. The cherry flavor just won't be quite as pronounced.
Recipe by Breezy Bakes at https://www.breezybakes.com/cherry-vanilla-cupcakes/