Ingredients & Directions

For the cupcakes:
2 cups sugar
1¾  cups all purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)
1 cup boiling water

For the frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
½ cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute. Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don’t worry, this is right). Fill liners ⅔ full with batter.

Bake cupcakes for approximately 22 to 24 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Meanwhile make frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter until smooth. With the mixer running, add 2 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Add maraschino cherry juice, one tablespoon at a time. Continue beating, and add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, and chopped maraschino cherries. If desired, add a drop of pink food coloring (we used Americolor electric pink). Beat until fully combined.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble the cupcakes: Use a serrated knife to cut off the top of the cupcake, using the top of the cupcake liner as a guide. Use a small heart cookie cutter to cut out a heart shape from the cupcake dome. Spread the frosting onto the cupcake base in a mounded shape. If desired, sprinkle the cupcake dome with powdered sugar. Place top back on cupcake and press down a bit to secure.
Yields: 24 to 27 cupcakes

Recipe provided by Blog Chefs