Note: this was posted before becoming a gluten-free blog. Contains gluten.

Times up, who did THIS?

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

and thank YOU for voting for me!

but really? You consider ME, moi as a TOP FOOD MOM BLOG? Aside from me not being a mom (yet), I’m sooo incredibly honored!

Honestly, I didn’t believe it. Really. I emailed Babble, well Dara at Babble and told her I had been nominated and that there’s a mistake. 1. I’m not a mom and 2. I have only one dinner recipe on my blog – voting category is “dinner”. Nope, no mistake. I’m still in the running. VOTE HERE

Now, onto the cupcakes. They’re amazing!

A few weeks ago friend asked me for a good cherry chip cupcake recipe. I had never heard of such a combination (sorta like the pineapple cookies) but I was about to find one and of course, test it out. I originally made them with regular size chocolate chips and my husband, the critic asked that next time I use mini chocolate chips instead. Noted, thanks. Since none of the 4 grocery stores I went to had fresh cherries, I went with frozen and surprisingly turned out much better than I had expected. Next time – fresh cherries and mini chocolate chips!

ps. I’ve the frozen cherries make for a great snacks or dessert. I’ve already gone through 2 bags.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

{recipe adapted from Baking Bites}

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh pitted cherries – I used frozen cherries
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cupcake/muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light – about 2 min. On low, add egg, vanilla extract and almond extract and combine well. Working in two or three additions, gradually (& carefully) mix in the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk and ending with an addition of the last of the flour mixture. Stir in chopped cherries & chocolate chips.

Fill prepared cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 16-19 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool before transferring them to a wire rack. Wait until they are completely cooled before frosting.

Makes 16

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 3 Tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 16 whole cherries – I used maraschino cherries

Using an electric mixer – on high, combine the butter, milk, vanilla and 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar. Gradually add in the remaining confectioners’ sugar until frosting reaches a thick and creamy consistency. If you’d like, you can add additional sugar to thicken the frosting .

Frost your cupcakes and top with a fresh (or not fresh) cherry. Enjoy!

{Created/Photographed by With Style and Grace}

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