Ooh La La Cafe . . . Shirley Temple Cupcakes!

Remember those Shirley Temple drinks you ordered as a kid? As an adult, I still find them to be fabulous and order them on occasion. My daughters absolutely love them as well! My youngest enjoys having them on her birthday...it has become quite the tradition with her. So this year when I asked my baby girl to browse through an extensive collection of cupcake recipes, and choose whatever she wanted for her 13th Birthday Bash, it was no surprise when she chose Shirley Temple Cupcakes!  

These little beauties taste as exquisitely wonderful as they look! And were a JOY to bake! So why waste anymore time talking about them? Instead, let's get started creating...and follow the words of Marie Antoinette who once exclaimed, "Let them eat cake!"

Cupcake Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups plus 4 tablespoons cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup 7-Up, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice

Several drops of red food coloring

Frosting Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large pinch of fine sea salt

2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice

12 maraschino cherries, patted dry with paper toweling

First you will need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place cupcake liners in your cupcake pan. (This recipe should make around 12 cupcakes.) In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons of cake flour, baking powder and salt. (The remaining tablespoon of flour will be used later.) In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium high speed for two minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Turn the mixer to low and add half of the flour mixture, then the 7-Up and finally the rest of the flour mixture. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl well to ensure all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Do not be concerned if the batter looks a little curdled. Take a 1/2 cup of the batter and put in a small bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour, the maraschino cherry juice and enough red food coloring to turn the batter red. Stir well. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. (About 1 big teaspoon per cup.) Gently spoon the remaining batter on top of the red batter, trying not to mix the two colors but to keep in layers. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes are slightly springy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. (The cupcakes will puff up a bit while cooking because of the 7-Up.)

Next it is time to prepare the frosting! Place the butter and salt in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until creamy. Stir in the confectioners sugar and mix on low until fully combined. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and maraschino cherry juice. Mix to combine. Pipe on or frost the cupcakes with the frosting and top each cupcake with a maraschino cherry. Now your little beauties are complete!

Oh. My. Goodness. These cupcakes are amazing! And I'm sure Shirley Temple herself would agree! ENJOY!

xxo, Shannon