Why is there so much hate for the number 3? Supposedly 3’s a crowd and if there is a 3rd person on an outing they are the 3rd wheel. And then they also say bad things always come in 3’s. I mean this is just unfair hate for the number 3! I think 3 cupcakes is fabulous! You always need 3…or 33….or 333….

These cupcakes were fabulous! I really, really liked the actual cake part of the cupcakes. Then again, I am a self proclaimed Coke-A-Holic! Growing up I would beg my Dad to take me to the gas station and buy me a bottle of Mexico Coke. And what is Mexico Coke? Well…it is coke, in the glass bottle, made in Mexico. Apparently the USDA came out and told people not to drink it because they found some bad stuff in it…something like lead, or lighter fluid, or anthrax. Whatever it was, it made for DELICIOUS Coke. Like honest to God crack (Let me just say I have no idea what actual crack is like, but if I would guess, I would say it is the equivalent of Mexico Coke). So to make these cupcakes, I knew I just had to go find some of the real Mexico Coke. In Texas, it was really, REALLY easy to find. Here in Florida….not as easy. However I drove on down to one of the Spanish stores around here and picked up a hundred couple bottles to make these cupcakes. I think it really put the edge on the cupcakes. Coke in a glass bottle has a lot stronger flavor then regular coke, so it gave it that extra bit. The cake was moist, delicious, and with a great hint of Coke. When filled with the cherries, topped with the glaze and whip cream frosting…they really take on a Coke Float likeliness! I was really happy with how these turned out and plan on making these again!

 

Yield: 24 Cupcakes

Cherry Coke Float Cupcakes

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

Cake:
3 cups all purpose flour
6 T cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups Coke (don't use diet)
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 can cherry pie filling

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 T Coke

Icing:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
6 T powdered sugar
Maraschino Cherries for garnish

Directions:

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with liners or spray with baking spray. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa in a bowl and set aside.

In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine sugar and butter and beat on medium-high until light and creamy. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating about 1 minute after each. In a large mixing cup or small bowl, combine buttermilk, Coke and vanilla extract. (Make sure you wait for the foam to go down when measuring the Coke and don't worry if your mixture looks curdled when you add the buttermilk.)

Beginning with the dry ingredient mix, add in 4 parts to the butter mixture, alternating with the Coke mixture. Beat each addition just until incorporated.

Use a cookie scoop or piping bag to transfer the batter to the muffin tins, filling each tin about 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops spring back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center cupcake comes out clean. Cool about 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, use a paring knife to cut out a cone shape in the middle of each cupcake. Add a spoonful of cherry mixture (2-3 cherries) to the well.


Glaze:
Mix together with a whisk in a small bowl. The mixture should run slowly off a spoon so you can drizzle the cupcakes but it won't run all over the place.

Icing:
Beat cream in a chilled bowl with whisk attachment or hand mixer on low speed. Begin adding sugar, 1 spoonful at a time, increasing speed as the cream comes together. Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks, if you dip a spoon in it, the whipped cream should stay on the spoon when you turn it upside down. Pipe the whipped cream onto cupcakes as desired and top with maraschino cherries for garnish.

Adapted from: Homemade By Holman