- 18
- 15 mins
- 35 mins
Ingredients
- For the buttercream frosting:
- 1 (15.25 oz) Devil's Food Cake Mix
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup flour, unbleached or all-purpose
- 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the tops:
- 1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
Preparation
Step 1
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 muffin tins with 18 cupcake papers.
In a large bowl add the cake mix, water, light mayonnaise and eggs, and mix according to the instructions on the cake box. Using a 3 oz scooper fill each cupcake paper approximately ¾ full.
Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 18-20 minutes. See note for perfectly moist cupcakes when using lite mayonnaise. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
For the buttercream frosting: In a sauce pan whisk together the milk and flour. Stir constantly over medium high heat until thickened. Set aside to cool until the bottom of the pan is warm to the touch. *See notes to quickly cooling the mixture. While the thickened milk mixture is cooling, combine and beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until light and creamy, about a minute. Take the cooled, thickened milk mixture and give it a stir. Adding a tablespoon at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, beat on medium high speed until all the thickened milk mixture is added. Then beat an additional minute or two until the frosting is smooth and extra creamy.
Fill a Wilton Dessert Decorator Plus with buttercream frosting and attach the star tip. Go around the edge of the cupcake to make a pretty swirl pattern.
Use a fork and place 3-4 cherries on top, making sure to tap off any excess cherry sauce on the edge of the can before adding them to the tops.
Notes
For perfectly moist cupcakes, when using light mayonnaise, make sure to check them a few minutes before the instructions on the cake box recommends. Cupcakes always bake up faster when using light mayonnaise.
For the buttercream frosting: To quickly cool the thickened milk mixture place the sauce pan in the freezer on a hot pad for 5-7 minutes. If the butter is really soft and the frosting doesn't seem thick or stiff enough, place the mixing bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes and beat again until smooth and extra creamy.
I used a 3 ounce cookie scooper, for bigger cupcakes, and had some buttercream frosting and cherry pie filling leftover. Feel free to use a 2 ounce cookie scooper for the cake batter, to make approximately 24 cupcakes. This way you should use up all the buttercream frosting and cherry pie filling.