Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes

I made these for a Memorial Day barbecue and really enjoyed them. The cherry flavor is subtle and complimentary for the dense chocolate. You can either use a cake mix as I used in a hurry, or you can use my chocolate pound cake recipe and substitute the maraschino cherry syrup for the water. As seen on Photograzing. 

cherry chocolate cupcakes

Every year the majority of my friends in DC go down to spend Memorial Day weekend in Duck North Carolina. It’s a great weekend full of karaoke, bocce, sun tans and luaus. Normally I go down too, but this year the trip down to Low Country with Butchie was something I just couldn’t pass up…though waking up at 6 am to drive back that morning from Durham, NC was not my ideal, it did put me back in DC in time to have a barbecue with the other of my friends and Stephen, who were in town for the holiday weekend.

Stephen sweetly thought to tell me not to worry about the potato salad (that I’m addicted to) and that he’d take care of it. He wanted me to “take some time to relax after the long drive. Doctor’s orders!”…instead I made cupcakes. I’ve never been very good at following a doctor’s instructions. But the cupcakes I made were just an enhanced cake mix so that can hardly detract too much from my relaxation.

I love chocolate-cherry everything, and thought to try out a different rendition of my chocolate covered cherry cupcakes. The cherry flavor is light and contrasts nicely with the density of the chocolate cake.

cherry chocolate cupcakes

Cherry Chocolate Cupcakes

1 package devils food cake mix

1 package pudding mix

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 6 oz. jar maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare cupcake tins. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the maraschino cherry syrup and reserve for the glaze.

Pour remaining cherry syrup into a 2 cup liquid measuring cup. Add water until the mixture is 1 1/3 cups full.

Pour cake mix and pudding mix into a stand mixer. Blend slightly and then add the cherry water. Continue to mix in vegetable oil and eggs one at a time.

Pour cake batter into prepared cupcake tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out cleanly. Remove cupcakes to a wire rack to cool before frosting.

Cherry Chocolate Glaze

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons maraschino cherry syrup

Measure all ingredients into a bowl. Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring well in between each session until smooth and glossy. 

Spread warm glaze over tops of each cupcake and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Enjoy! 

Cherry Madeleines

It's about time I actually had a cherry inspired tea cake on here! Madeleines are one of my favorite "cookies." Light, airy, delicate and just plain adorable. I adore the added flavor and color of the chopped cherries.  It's a great new twist on an old classic! As seen on Photograzing. 

cherry madeleines

This last week has been far too busy. I finally did get a night off to try to catch up on sleep. I've needed it. Though I don't get to complain much. If I do, my boyfriend Stephen, the doctor, will start the endless teasing about how hard I work. Sure, he works a 30 hour shift, and I had work, baking, and kickball....okay, he's right. I'm not allowed to complain. My life is pretty good. 

This weekend I got to have two of my good friends in town, Jenny and Yovhane. We met as juniors in High School on a trip out the DC. After a week of no sleep, laughing until 4 am in our hotel rooms we were too close to be split up. This weekend we had our second DC reunion and brought along the menfolk. Our poor men had never seen the three of us in action. They didn't stand a chance. 

By the time Sunday evening rolled around I was so exhausted I was just about ready to call it a day at 5 pm and go to sleep obscenely early, but was invited over for a game night. I just can't resist. I needed a quick treat and thought that it was high time I made some Cherry Tea Cakes. Et voila! I mustered up the energy and am so glad I did! The cherries add a rich but mellow sweetness that is very refreshing. 

cherry madeleines

Cherry Madeleine Tea Cakes

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3 large eggs

1/4 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (6 ounce) bottle red maraschino cherries, drained,
    blotted dry and finely chopped (about 1/3 cup) 

1 3/4 sticks (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional for brushing molds

Put racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.

Sift together flour and baking powder into a large bowl.

Add sugar then whisk in eggs, milk, vanilla, almond extract, and remaining 1 3/4 sticks melted butter. Fold into flour mixture until just combined. Fold in cherries gently

Brush molds with melted butter. Spoon or pipe a rounded tablespoon of batter into each mold, filling it about two-thirds full.

With two pans per rack, bake switching position of pans top to bottom halfway through baking. It will be about 10 to 12 minutes total or until the edges are golden brown and a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. 

Enjoy!