Shirley Temple Cupcakes

This is my second time making Shirley Temple cupcakes.  I first made Shirley Temple cupcakes in 2008.  Bride 4.0 recalled them as one of her favorites so she requested that I make them again for consideration as a wedding cupcake.  There was just one problem with that plan - I didn't like them.  Most of you know my rule: I refuse to make cupcakes that I don't like.

The key problem with the original Shirley Temple cupcakes was that they were a sloppy mess. They derived their Shirley Temple flavor from being drenched in a grenadine syrup - you almost needed a spoon to eat them.  I had scary visions of Bride 4.0's white dress covered in red sticky syrup:

Photo from UtaArashi

No, no.  This would not do.  But, since Bride 4.0 liked the idea of a Shirley Temple cupcake, I decided to create an alternate version.


I liked my new version of Shirley Temple cupcakes better than the first one (the jury is still out on Bride 4.0's opinion; she's going to try them tonight).  The cake is sweet and moist and because of the high sugar content, the top is slightly caramelized.  I opted to leave the lemon out of the cake entirely so that it wouldn't overpower the grenadine flavor.  Instead, I put a touch of lemon extract alongside some grenadine in the glaze.  I topped the cupcakes with the iconic maraschino cherry. 

About the Cherry

When Groom 2.0 saw the cherry on top, he paused, looked up at me quizzically, and inquired, "Is that a maraschino cherry - like from the store?"  Somewhat embarrassed, I had to say yes; and in the name of honesty, I had to admit that I had also used food coloring in these cupcakes.  I explained that while in the past I had made homemade maraschino cherries, I felt that store-bought ones would be easier and look better for a wedding.  The same applied to the food coloring; before adding the food coloring, the glaze was the color of chicken skin - totally unappealing for a wedding cupcake display.

Shirley Temple Cupcake Recipe

Yield: 12 cupcakes

For the cupcakes

• 2 C flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 C unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 C sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 C milk
• 1 1/2 C grenadine (I recommend using homemade grenadine.)

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In another medium-sized bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat eggs, milk, and grenadine into the butter/sugar mixture until blended.
4. Fold in flour mixture.
   
5. Fill cupcake liners all the way to the top.
   
6. Bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the cupcake clean.

Shirley Temple Glaze

• 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp grenadine (I recommend using homemade grenadine.)
• 1/4 tsp lemon extract
• red food coloring (optional)
• maraschino cherries (optional)

1. Mix powdered sugar, grenadine, and lemon extract.
2. Optionally add red food coloring a few drops at a time until you love the color.
3. Spread on cooled cupcakes.
4. Optionally, just before serving, top cupcakes with maraschino cherries.