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.

RumChata cupcakes!

We've had multiple people request RumChata cupcakes. They all sent me the same recipe off of Pinterest. So once I got some free time, I tried it. And I did not like it. Don't get me wrong...they tasted good. I just did not like the way they baked up. And the icing had WAY too much sugar in it for my liking. So we adjusted our tried and true recipes to make our new RumChata cupcakes:

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cups RumChata
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325° F.  

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Whisk together and set aside.  Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the bowl of the mixer with the butter and discard the pod (or reserve for another use.)  Beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and creamy in color.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for one more minute.

Add the sugar to the butter mixture, ¼ cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition.  Mix in the eggs one at a time until incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition.  Combine the RumChata and the vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.

Divide the batter between the prepared paper liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Makes 18 standard size cupcakes.

RumChata Cream Cheese Icing:
8oz cream cheese, at room temperatur

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/3 - 1/2 c. RumChata

4-5 c. powdered sugar

Cream together butter and cream cheese. Add powdered sugar and RumChata, alternating. Adjust to your needs (more powdered sugar for a thicker icing or more RumChata for a thinner, creamier icing). Ice cupcakes and garnish with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.