Shirley Temple Cupcakes

The sweet, nostalgic, childhood drink, in cupcake form, all topped off with a cherry!

This is a sponsored post written by me, on behalf of 7UP®. The opinions and text are all my own.

Who can resist the bubbly, pink, happiness in a glass? I used to LOVE getting to order a Shirley Temple at special occasion dinners as a kid, so what better inspiration to incorporate into a new cupcake flavor?!

The cupcake is ultra light and fluffy because I used 7UP Cherry in the batter, giving it a perfect lemon-lime flavor with a hint of cherry and super airy texture. I also added a splash of the 7UP into the frosting, giving it an almost carbonated taste, that is perfectly sweet and creamy. 

I love the layered look of these cupcakes, mimicking the look of the Shirley Temple beverage, but instead of doing the traditional soda with grenadine combo, I opted for an easier alternative by using the 7UP Cherry, to give us one less ingredient to work with. I also added real cherry at the bottom, to look just like the real drink! 

Finish them off with a cute straw and a cherry on top!

Serve these cuties with a refreshing 7UP Cherry, to match the cupcakes and you have got the cutest drink pairing ever!

Shirley Temple Cupcakes

Yield: 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 1 (15.25oz.) box vanilla cake mix
• 1 1/4 cup 7UP Cherry
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• red food coloring
• 18 Maraschino cherries, stemless

Frosting:

• 1 cup (2 sticks/8oz) salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 4 cups (1lb) powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar), sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 tablespoon 7UP Cherry
• 2-3 tablespoons Maraschino cherry juice  
• 18 maraschino cherries with stems and stripey straws, for garnish

Directions

Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with 18 baking cups. Beat cake mix, 7UP, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl at low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase to medium speed, beating for 2 minutes.

Set aside about 1/3 of batter in a small bowl. Add a few drops of red food coloring and stir until fully combined. Spoon the red batter evenly between the baking cups and place a stemless cherry in the center. Gently scoop the rest of the batter on top. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Frosting:

Beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, almond flavor, 7UP, cherry juice and a drop of red food coloring, beating until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Frost completely cooled cupcakes with a swirl of the cherry frosting. Top with a cherry and stripey straw. Remove baking cups before serving.