Kitchen of Kiki: LOVE cupcakes

Today I am celebrating Valentine´s Day here on my blog with this recipe as well on LOVE cupcakes. I have translated LOVE  into the use of cherry (the lovely Amarena Fabbri cherry) and vanilla in these cupcakes.  The basic cupcake recipe is from the magazine "Cupcake Heaven".

Afterwards I have been topping the cupcake base with ready-to-use sugar fondant, which I later have decorated with various types of hearts.

When serving these heart decorated LOVE cupcakes for one of my network group at work I was a little concerned, that the male member would "refuse" to be seen eating these girlie cupcakes. However, being able to select as the first person, my male colleague had no concerns at all in both eating and enjoying the cupcakes together with a cup SWEET LOVE tea from Kusmi !!!!

LOVE Winter Cupcakes: - 12 cupcakes

• 115 g butter - at room temperature
• 115 g sugar
• 115 g cake flour
• 2 eggs - lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar 
• 2 tablespoon of Amarena Fabbri cherry juice
• 3 tablespoons of Amarena Fabbri cherries - mashed
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• Sugar fondant
• Cake decoration

1. Heat the oven to 180'C (conventional oven).
2. Add the soft butter and sugar into a mixing bowl using a electric mixer.
3. Add the vanilla sugar, cherry juice, mashed cherries and baking powder into the mixing bowl, beat everything together.
4. Slowly add the egg, while you keep beating the cupcake mix.
5. Use a sieve to sift the cake flour into the mixing bowl.
6. Gently stir the flour into the cupcake mix.
7. Fill 12 paper muffin form with the cupcake mix.
8. Place the muffin form close together in order to lower the rising level of the cupcakes during baking.
9. Bake at 180'C for 20-25 minutes.
10. Leave the cupcakes to cool down.
11. Meanwhile roll out the sugar fondant.
12. Place the sugar fondant on top of the cupcakes and decorate with various cake decorations.
13. Share the LOVE around you :-)