Cherry Pie Cupcakes!

This past week I have been trying to figure out a way to get all elements of a pie into a cupcake.  Most people use a base cake and just drop the filling on top and call it a cupcake.  I decided to put the filling IN the cake and the crust on the OUTSIDE.  :)

vanilla cake>cherry filling>vanilla buttercream>graham cracker 'crust'

First, bake the cakes..

Remember the chop stick trick and hollow out the centers

Now fill with a cherry pie filling

Pipe 'mounds' of buttercream on top, first filling in the centers which may have sunk in a bit

Dip tops into a graham cracker mixture

And finally, drizzle with a glaze

What I look about these is when you look at them you first think its a crumb muffin, but its soooo not

And now for the recipes:


Vanilla Cake
 2 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
 2 stick unsalted butter, softened
 2 cup sugar
 4 large eggs, room temp
1 cup milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 and line 24 cupcake tins.  Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Gradually mix in each egg one at a time. In another bowl, add milk and vanilla.  Alternate mixing the dry ingredients and milk mixture into the butter batter in 3 parts.  Once all mixed, divide into cupcake tins, filling about 3/4 up.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until done.


Cherry Filling
1 can of cherry pie filling
1/2 c powdered sugar


Mix together until smooth.


Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
5 egg whites
1 1/2  cup sugar
4 sticks butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract


Whisk egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl and place on a simmering saucepan.  Whisk continuously until mixture reaches 150 degrees.  Remove from heat and begin whipping with a hand mixer until doubled in size and cooled, about 5 minutes.  Gradually add in butter, one chunk at a time until desired consistency.  Add salt and vanilla and beat until fluffy.


Graham Cracker Topping
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp sugar


Mix together and dip iced cupcakes until fully coated.


Glaze
4 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp honey


Mix all together until desired consistency, add more sugar if needed.