Cherry Coke Cupcakes

There is just something about birthdays that scream cake to me. It may have something to do with the fact that I will use any excuse to have a little extra dessert. I'm pretty sure that birthday cake, or cupcakes in this case, are calorie free. I stumbled across this recipe searching for a sweet treat to make for my dad's birthday. 

Cherry Coke Cupcakes

recipe adapted from Annie's Eats originally adapted from Coco Bean

For the cupcakes:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoon cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
½ cup buttermilk
¾ cup Cherry Coke
¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze (optional):
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon Cherry Coke

1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice

For topping:
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Maraschino cherries

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a muffin pan with foil or paper liners. In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and butter. Mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg until incorporated. In a bowl or large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, Coke, maraschino cherry juice, and vanilla extract; stir to combine. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled.

Mix the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture on low speed, alternately with the liquid ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the optional glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar and Coke in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Spoon or drizzle a small amount of the top of each cupcake. Allow to set.

To make the whipped cream topping, add the heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Begin whipping on medium speed, slowly adding the confectioners’ sugar and gradually increasing the speed to high as the cream holds soft peaks. Whip until the cream holds stiff peaks, being careful not to overbeat. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream on top of the cupcakes and top each with a maraschino cherry.