Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper

We've had this recipe ear marked for a while and I finally had the motivation to get it done (on top of the endless orders for RumChata and Black Forest Cupcakes we had today). I think I just needed to get in the kitchen and escape from reality today: last night my youngest son got sick...all over his new comforter and today my keys got locked in my van while it was running and I was half an hour away from home, on an old farm road covered in snow, mud, and ice.
To clarify for anyone wondering...no do the cupcakes do NOT taste like Dr. Pepper. The Dr. Pepper makes the chocolate cake super moist.

Dr Pepper Cupcakes:

1 c. butter
1 c. Dr. Pepper
4 tbsp. cocoa
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. soda
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325.

Heat butter, cocoa and Dr. Pepper. Mix well and set aside.Cream eggs, sugar and butter, milk and soda. Add flour and cinnamon alternately with Dr. Pepper mixture, then vanilla. Line cupcake pans and fill 2/3 of the way full.
*Makes 2 dzn.

Vanilla Buttercream
     2 sticks butter, softened
     4 tablespoons Vanilla flavored syrup (the kind you use for soda/coffee)
     4 cups powdered sugar

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter and syrup on medium speed until combined. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating on low until just mixed. Increase speed to high and beat for about two minutes.

Cherry Buttercream
     2 sticks butter, softened
     1 jar maraschino cherries
     3 cups powdered sugar
     red food coloring, optional

In the bowl of a mixer, combine butter and 4 tablespoons cherry juice. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating on low until just combined. Increase speed to high and beat for about two minutes. I added red food coloring to deepen the frosting color, but it's not necessary

You can assemble the cupcakes anyway you choose. I chose to fill them with the cherry buttercream, ice with a large swirl of vanilla buttercream and a small swirl of the cherry buttercream. Then garnish with a cherry.