Spring is (finally) in the air.
I think.
Maybe.
For this week, anyway.
After hearing so much about the famous Washington, D.C. cherry blossoms, it’s exciting to finally get to actually see them. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy for Spring and the end of waking up to snow every other morning for 5 months straight.
These cherry blossom cupcakes were quite fun to bake, to design, to photograph, to eat… The crazy thing is that there’s actually no chocolate in the cupcakes; they get their deep color (and, surprisingly, a somewhat-chocolatey flavor) purely from the cherries. You can easily leave them unfrosted and serve them for breakfast as muffins. But do try the hot pink frosting if you get a chance—It comes together in under a minute, and no food coloring is needed!
Cherry Blossom Cupcakes
Adapted from Hummingbird Cupcakes
- 2 cups cherries, pitted (240g) (I used frozen)
- 2 tbsp milk of choice (30g)
- 2 1/2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar (12g)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (8g)
- 3 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil (30g)
- 1 cup spelt or all-purpose or Bob’s gf flour (130g)
- only if using the gf flour, add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/2 cup sugar of choice or xylitol (90g) (Can reduce to 1/3 cup if a slightly-sweet muffin is preferred)
- 1/16 tsp pure stevia, or 2 additional tbsp sugar of choice
- 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
Cherry Blossom Cupcakes Recipe: Preheat the oven to 350 F, and line a muffin tin with liners. Blend together first 5 ingredients until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and stir well. Pour wet into dry, and stir until just evenly mixed. Pour into 10-11 muffin tins and bake 19-20 minutes or until cupcakes have domed and a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Allow to sit 10 minutes before removing from the tins. Frost with your favorite frosting, and add real or fake cherry blossoms if desired for garnish. For the frosting in the photos, I scraped the cream off a can of full-fat coconut milk and mixed it with beet juice (2 tsp per every 1/2 cup cream) and a little stevia to taste. No food coloring needed! (If you go this route, it’s best to frost right before serving, due to the lack of preservatives in this all-natural frosting.)
View Cherry Blossom Cupcakes Nutrition Facts
Question of the Day: What’s your favorite way to eat cherries?
My absolute favorite way to eat cherries is frozen, straight from the bag. They have an almost ice-cream-like richness, and you don’t have to worry about taking out the annoying pits. I can go through a bag of frozen cherries pretty quickly.
![mocha cookies_thumb[3]](https://lett-trim.today/wp-content/uploads/Cherry-Blossom-Cupcakes_7541/mocha-cookies_thumb3.jpg "mocha cookies_thumb[3]")
Link of the Day: Mocha Coconut Chocolate Dipped Macaroons
I’m a fan of frozen cherries straight out of the bag too! I also like making smoothies using cherries and ginger with some almond milk and protein powder. These cupckes are delightful, perfect in pink for spring:)
I was gonna say “Aww man, these are just like the Hummingbird cupcakes, and I wanted a new recipe!”, but then I saw these were completely chocolate-free and was astounded. It’s black magic, I tell ya! Literally.
I’m not a big fan of cherries, the only ones I’ll eat are bing cherries. I never did do good at our “who can spit the pit the farthest” contests….
These look delicious! I definitely need to make them. I’d love to try them with other stone fruits, too, like plums.
My favorite way to eat cherries is fresh and raw, straight from the market.
Was there supposed to be a recipe for frosting with the Cherry Blossom Cupcakes?
Yup, it is listed in the post.
Outstanding presentation & looks yummy! Looking forward to your future posts! ;D
<3 Carsla
These look delicious, and very pretty! I can’t wait to make them!
I like eating frozen cherries as a snack by the small bowlful, nothing creative, but very delicious. 😀
I just started a blog! I put the link up there, if you wanted to check it out.
the topping seriously makes me want to go running around underneath a huge blossom tree! I love how creative and imaginative you are at creating your recipes…they are simply fantastic X
http://www.tamsinamy.blogspot.co.uk
LOVE how seasonally appropriate these are-and they’re adorable! Looks delicious 🙂
Cherry blossom cupcakes- how pretty is that! Beets are totally amazing natural food colourers! I love em’ These cup cakes look so good and I can’t believe there’s no chocolate in them! Woah, could’ve fooled me!!! 🙂
These cupcakes look so cute! I love everything with cherries, especially chocolate and cherry combination!
I can’t believe there’s no chocolate in your lovely cupcakes but even better with cherries – much healthier. Can’t wait to try. Thanks for sharing.
Give me my dried cherries every night. They’ve been a lifesaver with my muscle soreness. I have to be careful though because I can’t digest the fructose in stone fruits.
Does the nutritional information for these cupcakes include sugar or xylitol?
Yum Yum Yum!!! Great reipe! Cherries are helpful in easing arthritis pain:)
Your recipes are SO amazing!! I am wondering what the vinegar does? I have used it before in pumpkin pancakes and it makes them taste great! I just don’t really know what it does!! Do you?!
Vinegar, in combination with baking soda, helps the cupcakes rise by producing CO2.
These look AMAZING! They also must contain plenty of flavor! I must make these, and devour them! I never would of dreamed cupcakes could ever be so dark without chocolate!