Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 and ½ c (6 oz) plus 1 tbs all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ c (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 c (200g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ c Cherry 7-Up, at room temperature*
  *I used regular 7-Up with a splash of maraschino cherry juice. It worked well!!
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 1 tbs maraschino cherry juice
• Red food coloring

Buttercream frosting

• ½ c (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Pinch salt
• 2 and ½ c powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbs maraschino cherry juice

Garnish

• 12 maraschino cherries with stems

Directions

1. To make the cakes: Preheat the oven to 350°, and prepare a cake pan with your desired paper liners, set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 and ½ c of flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), add the butter and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. (My mixture looked satiny at this point.)

5. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and alternate adding the flour mixture and the Cherry 7-Up, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, mixing well. (My mixture actually looked a bit curdled but they baked up great!)

6. Place about ¾ c of the cake batter in a separate small bowl and add the remaining 1 tbs of flour, maraschino cherry juice, and red food coloring (to your desired tint).

7. Evenly distribute the red ccake batter among your prepared liners, about 1-2 tsps per liner, gently smoothing out the batter.

8. Once the red batter is in place, evenly distribute the remaining cake batter among the cake liners, making sure not to mix the two batters. Be sure to cover the red batter completely so it doesn't bake up the sides and to the top.

9. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (do not overbake). Let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

10. To make the Buttercream Frosting: In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

11. Add the pinch of salt, powdered sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, lemon juice, and maraschino cherry juice into the bowl. On low speed, incorporate the ingredients until the powdered sugar is mixed in. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 2-3 minutes. If you like your frosting thicker, add more powdered sugar (small amounts at a time) and if you like it thinner add a bit more cherry juice.

12. Pipe as desired onto your cooled cakes and garnish with a maraschino cherry.