Name: Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting:; 8 oz cream cheese; 3 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1/4 cup Maraschino Cherries; 1/2 cup butter; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; 1 cup sugar; 4 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp lemon zest; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1/3 cup Maraschino Cherries; 1/2 cup applesauce; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 3 tsp vanilla extract; 2 tbsp cherry juice; 1/4 cup almond milk; 2 large eggs

Jump to Recipe·Trust With Google·Leave a Review

Baking a batch of these Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting brings a nostalgic charm to any dessert spread. Packed with juicy bursts of cherry flavor, citrus zest, and warm spices, these cupcakes are moist and crowned with a velvety cherry cream cheese frosting.

Looking for more “fruity” dessert ideas? Check out my Bananas Foster Bundt Cake, Ooey Gooey Pineapple Butter Cake, Easy Lemon Bars, Easy Coconut Tres Leches Cake, and Moist Lemon Glazed Pound Cake.

The secret to achieving a tender crumb without heavy oiliness lies in a special ingredient. We balance creamy unsalted butter with unsweetened applesauce, locking in deep moisture while keeping the texture light.

Fresh lemon zest and juice cut through the natural sweetness of chopped maraschino cherries (paid link), while warm ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and almond milk create an intricate, sophisticated flavor base. Finished with a chilled cream cheese frosting flecked with cherries, every single bite is pure joy.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Ultra-Moist Texture: Pairing real butter with natural applesauce ensures the cake crumb stays exceptionally soft, tender, and fresh for days.
Complex Flavor Balance: Fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and warm baking spices balance the sweetness of the maraschino cherries (paid link) for a refined bakery profile.
Velvety Cherry Frosting: Rich cream cheese frosting whipped with real chopped cherries and pure vanilla delivers a creamy, pipeable finish with zero artificial flavor.
Vibrant Presentation: The natural tint and ruby specks make these cupcakes an eye-catching centerpiece for birthdays, celebrations, and holiday dessert tables.

Bourbon Country Kentucky Bourbon Cherries

Note: Applesauce is a great alternative when you don’t want to use butter or oil in baking. It reduces calories and adds fiber. I used applesauce in this recipe because its high water content makes for a very moist cupcake.

Ingredients you’ll need to make Cherry Cupcakes:

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below

The Cupcake Batter

All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structural foundation for a tender cupcake.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Needed for the cupcakes to rise; baking soda reacts immediately with the acidic lemon juice and applesauce, while baking powder provides secondary lift.
Apple Sauce: Gives the cupcakes a light, tender crumb that won’t dry out.
Large Organic Eggs: Bind the batter together and provide structure.
Butter: Adds traditional flavor and richness.
Granulated Sugar and Powdered Sugar: Granulated sugar creates structure and caramelization, while a touch of powdered sugar adds delicate melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
Lemon Zest and Fresh Lemon Juice: Balances out the sweet fruit notes.
Vanilla Extract: Amplifies the sweet flavors and rounds out the warm spices.
Ground Cinnamon & Ground Nutmeg: Provide a subtle warmth that bridges the citrus and rich cherry notes.
Maraschino Cherries (paid link) and Cherry Juice: Add an iconic sweet cherry flavor directly into the cupcakes. I use these Maraschino Cherries (paid link), or some that are flavored with real Kentucky Bourbon.
Almond Milk: Provides light hydration to loosen the batter.

The Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese: The base for the cupcake frosting.
Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting into a firm, pipeable consistency.
Butter: Blends with the cream cheese to add structure, richness, and gloss.
Vanilla Extract: Smooths out the sharp dairy tang.
Maraschino Cherries (paid link): Finely minced to impart natural color flecks and sweet fruit flavor throughout the frosting.

How to make Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes:

Preheat the Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

Start the Frosting Base: In a large bowl, blend softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. You can also fold the ingredients using a silicone spatula (paid link).

Adding powdered sugar to a bowl to make the cream cheese frosting.

Finish and Chill Frosting: Place cherries into a food processor (paid link) and chop into small pieces. Blend cherries and remaining frosting ingredients (softened butter and vanilla extract) into the bowl. Cover the frosting and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

Adding chopped cherries into the cream cheese frosting

Whisk (paid link) Dry Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk (paid link) together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until combined.

Cream Butter and Sugars: In a second large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Incorporate Citrus: Using a lemon zester (paid link), zest the lemon, then cut it in half and squeeze 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice into the butter-sugar bowl.

Zesting lemon zest into the cupcake batter

Process Cherries and Wet Mix: Add chopped cherries to a food processor (paid link) and pulse. Add cherries and remaining wet ingredients (applesauce, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cherry juice, and almond milk), except the eggs, into the same bowl. Hand-blend ingredients for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add Eggs: Add eggs to the wet ingredients one at a time. Blend for 1 minute after each addition until smooth.

Fold the Batter: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Lightly fold until blended. Do not overmix.

Folding the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients

Fill the Pan: Place cupcake liners in a large muffin pan and fill ¾ of the way to the top with batter.

Bake: Bake cupcakes for 25 minutes, then remove from heat. Let cool in the pan, then on a wire rack for an additional 30 minutes, until completely room temperature.

cherry cupcakes fresh out of the oven with no frosting

Frost and Serve: Using a cupcake decorating kit (paid link), add the chilled cream cheese frosting to the top of each cupcake.

Cupcake Tips & Tricks

Before putting cherries in the food processor (paid link) for the frosting, blot them gently with a paper towel. Excess liquid can thin the frosting and reduce piping stability.
Once the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients, fold only until no dry streaks remain. Over-working the batter develops excess gluten, resulting in dense, rubbery cupcakes rather than light, fluffy ones.
You can swap whole dairy milk, oat milk, or buttermilk 1:1 for almond milk. Buttermilk will add an extra tang that complements the lemon juice.
For an enhanced retro bakery flavor, replace 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract with ½ teaspoon pure almond extract in the batter.
For a deeper, less sweet cupcake, replace bright red maraschino cherries (paid link) with dark Luxardo marasca cherries or tart Amarena cherries.
Because the frosting contains fresh cream cheese and butter, store frosted cupcakes in an airtight cupcake caddy in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving to soften the crumb and frosting to a bakery texture.
You can wrap unfrosted cupcake sponges individually in plastic wrap and freeze them in an airtight freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw completely at room temperature before applying fresh frosting.

Cupcake recipes are a great way to keep the kids in the kitchen when you want quality family time, and making them is a fun team effort. When your sweet tooth is on the prowl, whip up a batch of these Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes to satisfy that urge.

Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Save Recipe

Bake the best Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes! Fluffy, moist, spiced cherry cupcakes topped with homemade cherry cream cheese frosting.

Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 12 1x

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
In a large bowl, blend softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. You can also fold the ingredients with a spatula (paid link).
Place cherries into a food processor (paid link) and chop into small pieces. Blend cherries and remaining frosting ingredients (softened butter and vanilla extract) into the bowl. Cover the frosting and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
In a separate large bowl, whisk (paid link) together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until combined.
In a second large bowl, blend sugar and butter together until light and fluffy.
Using a lemon zester (paid link), zest the lemon, then cut it in half and squeeze 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice into the butter-sugar bowl.
Add chopped cherries to a food processor (paid link) and pulse. Add cherries and remaining wet ingredients (applesauce, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cherry juice, and almond milk), except the eggs, into the same bowl. Hand-blend ingredients for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add eggs to the wet ingredients one at a time. Blend for 1 minute after each addition until smooth.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Lightly fold until blended. Do not overmix.
Place cupcake liners in a large muffin pan and fill ¾ of the way to the top with batter.
Bake cupcakes for 25 minutes, then remove from heat. Let cool in the pan, then on a wire rack for an additional 30 minutes, until completely room temperature.
Using a cupcake decorating kit (paid link), add the chilled cream cheese frosting to the top of each cupcake.