These cupcakes are so delicious! The almond cake is light as a feather and has a subtle sweetness. The cupcakes are frosted in buttercream and sprinkled with sugar to give them a beautiful shimmer and crunch. Fondant was used to craft pretty cherry blossoms which adorn the tops. These cupcakes were featured on our Mulan Disney dinner.
Almond Cherry Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 3 egg whites
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cup less 2 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ tablespoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons almond extract
- ½ cup cherry preserves
Buttercream
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 16 oz. confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream
Decorations
- White Sanding Sugar
- Pink & Black Fondant
Equipment
- Cupcake Pan
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Pastry Bag
- Wilton Bismark Filling Tip
- Wilton Fondant Mold “Nature”
Instructions
- Make batter – Whisk together egg whites, almond extract and buttermilk in a small bowl until combined. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar in a medium bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Slowly add egg whites.
- Make cupcakes – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Put approximately 3 tablespoon of batter in each cupcake liner or about ⅔ full. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack.
- Fill cupcakes – Prepare a pastry bag with a Bismark tip. We like the Wilton #230 Bismark filling tip. Fill a pastry bag with cherry preserves. When cupcakes are fully cool, use a sharp paring knife, cut a small divot in the center of each cupcake. Fill with preserves. Continue until all cupcakes are filled.
4. Make frosting – To prepare frosting, cream butter in a medium bowl using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer. When light and fluffy, add confectioners sugar and salt bit by bit until fully combined. Add vanilla and cream or milk until completely combined. If buttercream seems too thick, you may add another tablespoon of milk or cream. If it seems runny, you may add more confectioners sugar.
5. Add Decorations – To create the cherry blossom tops, frost cupcakes using your favorite tip. Roll the top of the cupcake in granulated sugar to create a smooth and glittery surface. Using the fondant mold, create cherry blossoms and stems. Add them to the top of the cupcakes.
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