roasted cherry vanilla cupcakes

I’m a saver.

     sav-er [say-ver]
     noun

     a. One who saves things she believes to be especially nice or well-executed to be enjoyed at a later          date.

     b. A sometimes irrational being.

     c. Exhibits endearingly odd behavior.

Watch out, Merriam Webster. There’s a new dictionary-writer in town.

(Just kidding. There is no dictionary-writing/ editing in my foreseeable future and I am totally, 100% okay with that.)

Evidence that I’m said kind of endearingly irrational being:

I save my cute outfits for Friday… no wait, Tuesday… no wai-

It’s now two months that I’ve been saving the same cute outfit and this snowy weather no longer permits me to leave the house in that adorable sundress. Oops.

I save my favorite part of the meal to eat last (dessert excluded).

What’s that? Eggplant parm for dinner with a side of broccoli rabe and garlic bread? I’m gonna eat the broccoli rabe first, followed by the garlic bread, and finally the eggplant parm.

… Only to end up with cold eggplant and solidified cheese.

So yes, I unashamedly admit that I am, indeed, a saver.

Why is this relevant, you ask?

To date, theses photos are some of the best, if not the best, that I’ve styled and taken. Thus, I saved these photos and this post for, well, quite a while… Only to realize that cherries are out of season now and it makes minimal sense for me to share a recipe that features roasted cherries. I mean, hello, it’s fall. I should be baking with pumpkin and cinnamon and apples and other such harvest-associated flavors and ingredients.

Nevertheless, I’m not going to keep from sharing this delicious recipe simply because I saved it for a bit too long. Realistically, the vanilla cake base is incredibly versatile and would pair perfectly with most any mix-in (ex. roasted strawberries, blueberries, orange zest, toasted almonds… the options really are limitless).

These cupcakes have an incredibly tender crumb as a result of using the one-bowl method. The sweetness of the vanilla contrasts nicely with the cherries (or any fruit add-in, for that matter). The frosting is quick, simple, and all around indulgent. Basically what I’m trying to say is that these are the perfect cupcake for all occasions – morning, noon, and night. Enjoy!

Roasted Cherry Vanilla Cupcakes

adapted from Christina Marsigliese

Cupcakes:

– 8 oz. cherries, pitted

– 1 C. plus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

– ½ C. cake flour

– ½ tsp. baking powder

– ½ tsp. baking soda

– ¼ tsp. kosher salt

– 1 C. sugar

– 6 Tbsp. butter, cubed*

– 2 Tbsp. vegetable shortening

– 2 eggs

– ½ C. buttermilk

– ¼ C. whole milk

– 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting:

– ¾ C. unsalted butter, softened

– 3 C. confectioner’s sugar, sifted

– 1 Tbsp. plus 1 ½ tsp. buttermilk

– 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Plate the pitted cherries in a buttered baking dish and bake for 10-12 minutes, tossing once or twice in between, until the cherries become juicy and the skin starts to barely blister.  Remove from oven and cool.  Once cooled, slice cherries in half.

Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, put 1 C. all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Mix until combined.  Add in butter and shortening.  Beat on medium-low speed until the flour has coated all of the butter and shortening and they start to break down into finer pieces; the mixture should look damp sand.  This will take about 2-3 minutes.  In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, whole milk, and vanilla.  With the mixer running, add the egg mixture and beat until almost smooth, about 1 minute.

In a separate bowl, toss halved cherries with remaining Tbsp. of flour.  Fold in until evenly distributed.  Scoop batter into lined muffin cups, filling most (about 2/3) of the way.  Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20-22 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clear.  Remove from oven and cool on a rack.

To make the frosting, beat butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla.  Beat about another 2 minutes, until smooth.  When cupcakes are cooled, frost each with desired amount of frosting (pictured is about a heaping tablespoon of frosting.)  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve; serve at room temperature.

Yields 12 – 14 Cupcakes

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Tags: birthday, cupcakes, dessert, homemade yellow cake, one-bowl method, quick vanilla frosting, recipe, roasted cherries, snack