Cherry Vanilla Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe

Just in time for Valentine’s Day! Check out my delicious recipe for a Cherry Vanilla Red Velvet Cupcake. This is sure to make your honey say oh la la!

Can you believe it is almost Valentine’s Day?! Seems like just yesterday I was stuffing toys and goodies in my children’s stockings that were hung over the fireplace, and today I am getting desserts ready to start baking for Valentine’s Day. This is one of our most favorite holidays to bake delicious treats for, and my kids usually request a cupcake to take to their class party.

If you are a follower of the blog, you know I have a slight obsession with cupcakes. There are just so many possibilities and I love to create new and unique combinations and flavors. For this recipe I decided to go in with two of my favorite flavors that arise around this time- cherry and vanilla! And what flavor goes best with a cherry/vanilla combo? Red Velvet of course! My Cherry Red Velvet Cupcakes combine a delicious and moist red velvet cake with a cherry and vanilla swirled homemade buttercream frosting. Seriously, what could scream Valentine’s Day and romance more than these cupcakes?!

Cherry Red Velvet Cupcakes

This recipe has a few steps, but is super easy to make! You will need the following ingredients:

For the cupcake mix:

• 2½ cups flour
• 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup butter, soft, plus 4 tbsp.
• ¼ cup softened shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 TBSP Red Velvet extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tbsp. Red gel food color

For the vanilla frosting:

• 1 C unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 C powdered sugar

For the cherry frosting:

• 2 C powdered sugar
• 1 C unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 C powdered sugar
• 5 tbsp juice from a jar of maraschino cherries
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2-4 drops of red food coloring

The directions are pretty simple too!

To bake the cupcakes:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake tins with paper liners.
• Sift your flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt altogether. Mix your dry ingredients with a wire whisk for three minutes.
• In another bowl, add in your butter, shortening and sugar with an electric mixer until it is light and creamy. Then add in your egg, vanilla, red velvet extract and red gel food coloring. Mix well.
• Add flour mix and milk, 1/2 portion of each at a time, mix until completely combined. Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake tins until 2/3’s filled.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and get prepared to frost.

To make the frosting:

• Make the vanilla first. Start out by adding butter into a standing mixer and mix on low until it is fluffy. Slowly add in powdered sugar until it is well blended. Add in your vanilla and beat until thoroughly combined. Scoop the frosting into one side of a pastry bag with a large frosting tip.
• Next, let’s make the cherry frosting. Start out by adding butter into a standing mixer and mix on low until it is fluffy. Slowly add in powdered sugar until it is well blended. Add in your cherry juice and almond extract and beat until thoroughly combined. Finally, add in your red food coloring, one drop at a time, until it is the desired red color you wish. Add the frosting to the other side of the pastry bag, opposite of where you placed the vanilla. Force your frosting to the tip and begin frosting cupcakes working from the outside edge to the center of the cupcake.
• ENJOY!

That is it! Can you believe it’s that simple? I really hope you have enjoyed my Cherry Red Velvet Cupcakes as much as my family does! Below, you can find the printable recipe if you want to add it to your recipe binder!

[mpprecipe-recipe:365]

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