Cherry Almond Cupcakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds, set aside. Cut 6 maraschino cherries into halves and set aside**. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg then add in egg white, almond extract and vanilla extract and blend until combined. In liquid measuring cup used to measure buttermilk, combined buttermilk with maraschino cherry juice. With mixer set on low speed, working in three separate batches beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture alternating with 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture and mixing just until combined after each addition. Divide mixture among 12 paper lined muffin cups, filling each cup about 1/2 full. Place one cherry half in the center of each cupcake . Bake in preheated oven 17 - 19 minutes until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake comes out clean. Run a butter knife around edges to loosen cupcakes and allow to cool in muffin tin 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely then pipe or spread Cherry Almond Frosting over tops. Store in an airtight container. Top each cupcake with a maraschino cherry just before serving.

In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until very pale and fluffy, about 7 - 8 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of the bowl . Add in powdered sugar, 1 1/2 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice and almond extract. Blend on low speed until combined, then add food coloring if desired and additional cherry juice to thin as desired , and increase speed to medium-high and whip until pale and fluffy, about 5 - 6 minutes longer .