Cherry Chip Cupcakes

When I was a little girl I always thought the most tempting cake mix on the shelves of the grocery store was the Cherry Chip. That pale, pink cake with those sweet, bright pink flecks in it, what little girl could resist. I know now as an adult that there was no cherry in those cupcakes at all instead there is something called cherry flavored pieces (pieces of what I'm not sure). So, I decided to use some of the dried cherries I got for Christmas to create my own Cherry Chip Cupcakes.

Now these don't have the hot pink flecks of the store bought mix but the chopped cherries add a great flavor to each bite. I added a little pink food coloring to make them a little girlie but you can totally leave that out & just have a white cake.

I had planned on frosting these with a vanilla bean buttercream but after we tasted one without frosting we decided a cream cheese frosting would be even better.

Cherry Chip Cupcake
(adapted from Martha's Stewart Coconut Cupcake)

1/4 c dried cherries, chopped

3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
6 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c + 1 T  sugar
1/4 vanilla bean
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 c buttermilk

pink food coloring (optional)
2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 6 - 8 muffin tins.

Place chopped cherries in a bowl & cover with very hot water. Let sit for 10 - 15 minutes to soften. Drain & set aside.
In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder & salt. 

In a large bowl cream together butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean & add to butter mixture. Add vanilla & beat. On low speed, add half the flour mixture until just blended. Add milk until blended. Add remaining flour & mix until just blended. Blend in food coloring if you wish.
In another bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peak appear, about 2 minutes. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg into the batter until combined. Add remaining egg & fold until combined. Fold in the chopped cherries.
Divided equally among the muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 oz cream cheese
2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 t vanilla

Blend the cream cheese & butter together until light & fluffy. Bend in sugar & vanilla.

Makes 6 -8 cupcakes