Holiday Cheer Cherry Cupcakes

Christmas Cupcake Murder

Preheat over to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

## Ingredients

* 1 cup dried cherries ***(if you can't find them, use Cherry Craisins)***
* 1/4 cup cherry liqueur ***(or cherry juice)***
* 1/4 cup pineapple juice ***(apple juice will also work just fine)***
* 4 large eggs
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 cup ***(8-ounces by weight)*** sour cream
* 1 box of white or yellow cake mix, the kind that makes a 9-inch by 11-inch cake or a 2-layer cake ***(I used Duncan Hines)***
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 5.1-ounce package of DRY instant vanilla pudding and pie filling ***(I used Jell-O)***
* 12-ounce ***(by weight)*** bag of white chocolate or vanilla baking chips ***(11-ounce package will do, too - I used Nestlé)***

## Directions

* Prepare your cupcake pans. You'll need two 12-cup cupcake or muffin pans lined with double cupcake papers.
* Place the cup of dried cherries in a 2-cup or larger, microwave-safe bowl. ***(I used my Pyrex 2-cup measuring cup.)***
* Pour the quarter-cup cherry liqueur over the cherries.
* Pour the quarter-cup pineapple juice over the cherry liqueur.
* Stir the dried cherries with the liquid.
* Place the measuring cup or bowl in the microwave and heat on HIGH for one minute. Open the microwave and stir the cherries and liquids again.
* Heat the cherries and liquid again on HIGH for 30 seconds.
* Let the measuring cup sit in the microwave for another minute.
* Using potholders or oven gloves, remove the measuring cup or bowl from the microwave and set it on a towel on the kitchen counter to cool.
* Crack the eggs into the bowl of an electric  mixer. Mix them up on LOW speed until they are light and fluffy, and are a uniform color.
* Pour in the half-cup of vegetable oil and mix it in with the eggs on LOW speed. Continue to mix for one minute or until it is thoroughly mixed.
* Shut off the mixer and add the cup ***(8-ounces)*** of sour cream. Mix it in on LOW speed.
* Feel the measuring cup or bowl with the cherries and liquid. If they're not so hot they might cook the eggs, add them to your mixer.
* Mix on LOW speed for one minute or until the cherries and liquid are thoroughly mixed in.
* When everything is well-combined, shut off the mixer and open the box of dry cake mix.
* Add HALF of the dry cake mix to the mixer bowl, but don't turn on the mixer quite yet.
* Sprinkle the teaspoon of ground cinnamon over the cake mix in the mixer bowl.
* Turn the mixer on LOW speed and mix for 2 to 3 minutes, or until everything is well combined.
* Shut off the mixer and sprinkle in the 2nd HALF of the dry cake mix. Mix it in thoroughly on LOW speed.
* Shut off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
* Open the package of instant vanilla pudding and pie filling and sprinkle in the contents. Mix that in on LOW speed.
* Shut off the mixer, scrape down the side of the bowl again, and remove it from the mixer. Set it on the counter.
* Sprinkle the white chocolate or vanilla baking chips into your bowl and stir them in by hand with the rubber spatula.
* Use the rubber spatula or a scooper or transfer the cake batter into the prepared cupcake pan. Fill the cups three-quarters full.
* Smooth the top of your cupcakes with the spatula and place them in the center of your preheated oven.
* Bake your **Holiday Cheer Cherry Cupcakes** at 350 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes.
* Before you take your cupcakes out of the oven, test it for doneness by inserting a cake tester, a thin wooden skewer, or a long toothpick into the middle of a cupcake.
* If the tester comes out clean and with no cupcake batter sticking to it, your cupcakes are done. If there is still unbaked batter clinging to the tester, shut the oven door and bake your cupcakes for 5 minutes longer.
* Take your cupcakes out of the oven and set the pans on cold stovetop burners or wire racks. Let them cool in the pans until they reach room temperature and then refrigerate them for 30 minutes before you frost them. ***(Overnight is fine too.)***
* Frost your cupcakes with **Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting**.

Yield: Approximately 18 to 24 cupcakes, depending on cupcake size.

To Serve: These cupcakes can be served at room temperature or chilled. They're very rich so be sure to accompany them with tall glasses of icy cold milk or cups of strong hot coffee.

## Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

### Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup ***(1 stick)*** salted butter, softened to room temperature
* 8-ounce ***(net weight)*** package softened, brick-style cream cheese ***(I used Philadelphia in the silver package.)***
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon cherry liqueur or cherry juice
* 4 to 4 and 1/2 cups confectioners' ***(powdered)*** sugar ***(no need to sift unless it's got big lumps)***
* Maraschino cherry halves or red decorators sugar ***(optional)***

### To Decorate The Cupcakes With The Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting:

* Mix the softened butter with the softened cream cheese until the resulting mixture is well blended.
* Add the teaspoon of vanilla extract and the teaspoon of cherry liqueur. Mix them in thoroughly.

**Hannah's 1st Note:  Do this next step at room temperature. If you heated the cream cheese and the butter to soften them, make sure your mixture has cooled to room temperature before you complete the next step.**

* Add the confectioners' sugar in half-cup increments, stirring thoroughly after each addition, until the frosting is of proper spreading consistency. ***(You'll use all, or almost all, of the powdered sugar.)***
* Use a frosting knife or a small rubber spatula to place a dollop of frosting in the center of the top of your cupcakes. Then spread it out almost to the edges of the cupcake paper.

**Hannah's 2nd Note: If you spread the frosting all the way out to the edge of the cupcake, your guests will get frosting on their fingers when they peel off the cupcake paper and they'll have to wash or lick their fingers. Kids enjoy this. Adults, not so much.**

* If you wish to decorate the tops of your cupcakes, use a half maraschino cherry ***(round side up)*** or sprinkle with red decorators sugar.
* If you have frosting left over, spread it on graham crackers, soda crackers, or what **Great-Grandma Elsa** used to call *store-boughten* cookies. This frosting can also be covered tightly and kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. When  you want to use it, let it sit on the kitchen counter, still tightly covered, for an hour or so, or until it reaches room temperature and it is spreadable again.
* This frosting also works well in a pastry bag, which brings up all sorts of interesting possibilities for decorating cakes or cookies.