With a Cherry on Top

We have our new furniture! It was delivered yesterday. A sectional for the den/family room and a couch and two chairs for the formal living room. We also got a coffee table, it's lovely, but doesn't work well in either room. So we've got to return that and pick a new one. The old couch and chair went down to "man town." It's finally feeling like it's coming together! My mother-in-law and I took a trip to a fabric place in Massachusetts last week. We were able to get the fabric for the curtains in the downstairs bathroom,master bathroom,  kitchen, and formal living room. We were not able to find the dining room or bedroom fabric, but it was a great start.
 
In honor of breast cancer awareness month, here's a pink dessert.....

Cherry Almond Vanilla Cupcakes
from bhg.com

Oven 350

Cupcakes:
1/2 cup butter
4 egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
12 maraschino cherries, halved





Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons marachino cherry juice or milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
 
Allow butter and egg whites to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups (or coat with cooking spray). In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a 2-cup measuring cup combine buttermilk and cherry juice; set aside.












In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined.










Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

















Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.











Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Use the back of a spoon to smooth out batter in cups. Press a cherry half into batter in each cup.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.











Frosting:
Allow butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in maraschino cherry juice or milk and almond extract. Gradually beat in additional powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in additional juice or milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until frosting reaches a spreading consistency.
Using a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe Frosting over tops of cupcakes. If desired, top with cherries. Makes 24 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes.