• These beautiful celebratory cherry-on-top cupcakes are flavoured with boozy MCC brut, and topped with tangy fresh red cherries, a fantastic addition to any party, gathering or occasion! Switch out the alcohol for water or milk for a non-alcoholic alternative to this cupcake recipe!

    Cherry-on-top cupcakes

    Desserts
    By Sarah Dall Serves: Makes 12
    Total Time: 45 mins

    Ingredients

    • CUPCAKES

    • 125ml (½ cup) MCC brut, heated and reduced to 2 tbsp
    • 160g self-raising flour
    • 115g castor sugar
    • 2 extra-large eggs
    • 100g softened butter
    • ½ tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 tbsp milk
    • ICING

    • 250g softened butter, at room temperature
    • 500g icing sugar, sifted
    • 3 tbsp MCC brut
    • fresh cherries, to garnish

    Instructions

    1

    Preheat the oven to 160°C.

    2

    Place the reduced 125ml (1 cup) MCC and remaining cupcake ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed for 5 minutes. Line a standard 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases. Spoon 1 heaped tbsp of the mixture into each case. Bake until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

    3

    For the icing, in a clean bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter until softened and creamy. Keep whisking and add the sifted icing sugar 2 tbsp at a time until it is all incorporated. Once half of the icing sugar has been used, add the 3 tbsp MCC brut. The icing should be light in colour and fluffy.

    4

    Spread or pipe the icing onto the cooled cupcakes and top with the fresh cherries.

    Notes

    Tip from the team: replace the Brut with milk if you'd prefer a non-alcoholic cupcake!

    ALSO SEE: How to-Heart cupcakes

    How to-Heart cupcakes

    Imka Webb
    Author

    Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine.  www.imkawebb.com