Cherry Chip Cocktail Cake

Well, I have a bonus recipe for everyone today!  I am so excited I can hardly contain myself…..let me explain.  The FedEx truck showed up this morning with a Crystal Blue KitchenAid hand mixer, and I have absolutely no idea why!!!  Okay I have an idea, but I have no way of confirming my suspicions.

Remember the baking contest where I won 4th prize?  One of the reasons why I was so excited to enter was that 3rd prize was everything that 4th & 5th prize receive, PLUS a crystal blue KitchenAid hand mixer.  First prize was a KitchenAid stand mixer (red), and 2nd was a KitchenAid food processor.  My best guess, is that the 3rd place winner never did claim her prize and KitchenAid needed to send it to someone???

I have to say, it was perfect timing…..my pretty green one is toast 🙁

I have never shared ANY of my cocktail recipes with anyone before, but since I am in such a happy mood I decided to create these Cherry Chip Cocktail Cake {cupcakes} just for you!  This all started because my friend Tamara was craving cupcakes this afternoon, but did not want to make them…..who needs 2 dozen cupcakes right?

She decided that I should make them since I like baking.  Then we also started discussing how we both needed to clean our cars to get all of the salt off.  She jokingly said that she would take my car and get it washed, if I made her cupcakes…..here they are Tamara, I will get you the keys! {No, she never actually washed my car}

Since we are less than a month away from Valentine’s Day, I went with that theme.  I did not add any coloring to the batter, I just let the cherry schnapps tint them a pale pink color.  It all just seemed to fit together perfectly…..

For those of you worried about the kiddies eating them, that is totally your call.  They do not taste like alcohol, sorry to disappoint some of you.   This Cherry Chip Cocktail Cake truly tastes like the cherry chip Betty Crocker box mix from the grocery store, minus all of the additives and chemicals!

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, oil, schnapps, amaretto, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat for one minute…..

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, dry milk, and vanilla pudding mix…..

Yep, I dump it all in at once. Beat to combine. Chop the maraschino cherries into small pieces, and stir into the cake batter…..

Pour batter into prepared bundt pan, 30 lined cupcakes, (2) 9″-round cake pans, or a 9 x 13 baking pan…..

Today, we want cupcakes!! 😉 Bake cupcakes for 18 – 20 minutes, Bundt cake for 45 – 50 minutes, 9 x 13 for 35 – 40, 9″ pans for 30 – 35 minutes…..

Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool. When completely cooled, frost cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting and decorate as desired…..

If you would like to make cherry flavored frosting without the alcohol, just substitute cherry flavoring for the vanilla in the recipe, and leave out the butter flavoring.  I make my buttercream with 1 teaspoon of Amaretto and 2 Tablespoons of cherry schnapps…..who needs to thin with water?

If you would prefer a bundt cake with glaze, it will look more like this…..

Enjoy!!

Cherry Chip Cocktail Cake

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Serves	16-30
Prep time	15 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	45 minutes
Meal type	Dessert

Just like the cherry chip cake you grew up with, without the box.

Ingredients

• 4 Large eggs (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 1/4 Cups super fine baking sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup cherry schnapps
• 1/4 cup amaretto
• 2 1/4 Cups cake flour (or 2 cups all-purpose flour)
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup non-fat dry milk powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3.4 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 20 maraschino cherries (finely chopped)
• pink food gel coloring (optional)
• For Glaze
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Amaretto
• 2 - 3 Tablespoons cherry schnapps

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, oil, schnapps, amaretto, and vanilla with an electric mixer.

Add the sugar and beat for one minute.

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, dry milk, and vanilla pudding mix. Beat to combine.

Chop the maraschino cherries into small pieces.

Stir the cherries into the cake batter.

Pour batter into prepared bundt pan, 30 lined cupcakes, 2) 9"-round cake pans, or a 9 x 13 pan.

Bake cupcakes for 18 - 20 minutes, Bundt cake for 45 - 50 minutes, 9 x 13 for 35 - 40, 9" for 30 - 35 minutes.

Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.

When completely cooled, frost cupcakes with buttercream frosting and decorate as desired.

To glaze:

Whisk powdered sugar together with Amaretto and cherry schnapps in a small bowl. Add additional liquid if glaze is too thick.

Let cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then move to a wire cooling rack.

Place rack over a large plate and spoon glaze over the warm cake.

When the glaze is gone, move the rack to a second large plate and spoon that glaze over the cake.

Continue going back and forth until all of the glaze has been used.

Let cake cool completely before serving.

Note

I have only baked the cupcakes and the bundt cake, the other times are approximate (guesses).

For Cherry Buttercream Frosting, use the original buttercream frosting but substitute 1 teaspoon amaretto and 2 Tablespoons cherry schnapps for all other flavorings. (do not add the butter, almond, or vanilla flavorings )

I used Dr. McGillicuddy's Cherry Schnapps®

This recipe will be partying at these link parties!