Cherry Spice Cupcakes
5 servings
60 minutes
Cherry and spice muffins are an exquisite blend of tender dough and rich fruit flavor. This recipe has its roots in European baking tradition, where tart-sweet cherries harmonize with warm spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, and saffron. The addition of ground coffee gives the baked goods a refined depth of flavor. Each muffin hides juicy berries inside that release juice while baking, creating a soft, moist texture. The finishing touch is powdered sugar that adds a light sweetness and airiness. These muffins are perfect for cozy home tea parties, complement morning coffee beautifully, and can serve as an elegant dessert for special occasions.
1
Prepare the cherries. Thaw, rinse, pit, sort, rinse.
- Frozen cherries: 55 pieces
2
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
3
Mix sugar with egg using a whisk.
- Sugar: 8 tablespoons
- Chicken egg: 2 pieces
4
Sift all the flour into the eggs and mix with a whisk.
- Wheat flour: 11 tablespoons
5
Add all the melted butter and mix.
- Clarified butter (ghee): 6 tablespoons
6
Add all the milk and mix.
- Milk: 6 tablespoons
7
Pour the batter into five regular muffin molds, adding cherries inside the batter alternately. About 10 cherries per muffin, so the cherries are in the batter. The batter will rise about 1.5 cm during baking.
- Frozen cherries: 55 pieces
8
Sprinkle a dense pinch of ground coffee on top. 1 pinch = 1 cupcake.
- Ground coffee: pinch
9
Sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon. 1 pinch = 1 cupcake.
- Ground cinnamon: pinch
10
Sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg. 1 pinch - 5 muffins.
- Ground nutmeg: pinch
11
Sprinkle with a pinch of ground saffron. 1 pinch - 5 muffins.
- Ground saffron: pinch
12
Place in the oven, positioning the muffins in the center of the tray, for 25-30 minutes. Depends on the oven and the amount of cherry juice.
13
Remove the cupcakes to a prepared surface, cover with a napkin and towel until cool.
14
Sprinkle powdered sugar by the spoonful on the cake.
- Icing sugar: 2.5 teaspoons
15
If making chocolate, add cocoa after the flour and mix.
16
Add vanilla syrup and cognac after the milk, stir.
17
You can make fewer cupcakes, spread the leftover batter in circles on parchment, sprinkle dark chocolate on top, and bake for 15 minutes above the cupcakes.