Have a Coke (cupcake) and smile!

I've made the classic Coke cake before, but when I found out the box office manager at the concert venue where I work in the summers was a Cherry Coke addict I knew I had to try the Coke cake with the cherry version of the soda.  I've tried regular, diet, and vanilla and the cherry version is by far my favorite.  It may sound kind of odd but it makes a delicious, moist, chocolate cupcake with just a hint of Coke flavor.

I followed the recipe below for the cake and the "frosting," baked the cakes in foil cupcake liners, and topped them off with little cola bottle gummy candies.  I put frosting in quotes because it's more of a glaze and can be rather tricky to work with if you don't let it cool enough before trying to use it or wait too long because it sets.

Finished cupcake.  I wish I remembered to take a picture before I took the best looking cupcakes to work.  Oh well. :)

Here's the recipe:

Cupcakes (makes 24 regular cupcakes):

2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups small marshmallows
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup Cherry Coca-Cola
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake tin with liners.

In a bowl, sift sugar and flour. Add marshmallows. In saucepan, mix butter, oil, cocoa, and Coca-Cola. Bring to a boil and pour over dry ingredients; blend well. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk just before adding to batter along with eggs and vanilla extract, mixing well. Pour into a lined cupcake pan.  I use an ice cream scooper to do this because it seems to fill them the exact amount and keeps them pretty uniform in size.  Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, let cool, "frost" and top with a cola bottle gummy. 

"Frosting":
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons Cherry Coca-Cola
2 Cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For frosting, combine butter, cocoa and Coca-Cola in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and pour over confectioners' sugar, blending well. Add vanilla extract and pecans. Spread over cupcakes. Serve with a Coke!