Well, this is for all of those "GFF's" out there...that is, Gluten Free Furs! :P

Taken from here- http://sites.google.com/site/simply.....emple-cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon all purpose gluten free flour blend – use divided*

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

½ cup 7-Up, at room temperature (I used Cherry flavored myself, the flavors make it pop)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice

Several drops of gluten-free red food coloring gel


Frosting

½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)

1 large pinch of Kosher or fine sea salt

2½ cups confectioners’ sugar

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice

12 maraschino cherries, patted dry with paper toweling

1/2 block of low-fat Neufchatel cheese (optional, I added this because I wanted to add body to the frosting, but also to cut down on all the sugariness as well)

Directions for Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper or silicon cupcake liners.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together 1½ cups of the gluten-free flour blend, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium high speed for two minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Turn the mixer to low and add half of the flour mixture, then the 7-Up and finally the rest of the flour mixture. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl well to ensure all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Do not be concerned if the batter looks a little curdled.


Take a ½ cup of the batter and put in a small bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour, the maraschino cherry juice and enough red food coloring to turn the batter red. Stir well. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 1 big teaspoon per cup). Gently spoon the remaining batter on top of the red batter trying not to mix the two colors but to keep in layers.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes are slightly springy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. (The cupcakes will puff up a bit while cooking because of the 7-Up.)

While the cupcakes are cooling, prepared the frosting.

Frosting:

In a mixing bowl of an electric mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt on high speed until creamy. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low until fully combined. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and maraschino cherry juice. Mix to combine.

Pipe on or frost the cupcakes with the frosting and top each cupcake with a maraschino cherry.

Makes 12 cupcakes....just let them chill in the fridge to let the frosting set a bit more, then serve :3

* I went with "Bob's Red Mill" gluten-free flour- which you can find nowadays in the health food section of your grocery story- the flour itself calls for xantham gum to be added to it, but- when these came out, the cupcakes looked fine to me!

...Let natural be natural, and I gotta tell ya, xantham gum just dont sound natural to me (so I didnt add) :P

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Upon tasting, this is REALLY no different than any other highly fattening and sugary cupcake thats out there :P

AND I would say- definitely consider using the cream cheese in this, it makes a great foil to the sugar and marachino cherry on top (hmmm...thinking about it, I wonder if I should have had chopped marachinos in the frosting as well...I'll have to try that next time)

BUT, there was supposed to be a redder bottom on these...didnt happen, I think it cooked out...not enough food coloring I suppose... >_<

The good news is I dont use that red coloring stuff much anyways :P