I have been inspired to create a Princess Kaguya Cupcake!!

That movie was so beautiful and inspiring that I am designing a cupcake to celebrate it's creativity! I will incorporate the princesses love of the cherry blossom into this cake design. I am going to start out with tender white cake recipe and incorporate chopped cherries into the mix. Then I will create a delicate cherry buttercream frosting with just the right amount of beauty and sweetness to it and top it hopefully with beautifully created gum paste cherry blossoms from a gum paste designer on Etsy! She does beautiful work! Once I create them I will surely post the beautiful pictures!

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya Cupcake Recipe

Makes: 24

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Bake Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ c. butter (1 stick), room temperature

• 1½ c. granulated sugar

• 4 egg whites, room temperature

• 1½ tsp. vanilla

• 2 c. cake flour

• 1½ tsp. baking powder

• ½ tsp. baking soda

• ½ tsp. salt

• 1⅓ c. buttermilk

• 1 (10 oz) jar, maraschino cherries, finely chopped

• 3 Tbsp. reserved maraschino cherry syrup (from the jar of cherries)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line (two) 12-cup cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside.

• In a large mixing bowl with a stand or hand mixer, on low, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. While still on low, gradually add the egg whites one at a time. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.

• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, while mixer is on low. Batter will be smooth and creamy. Measure out the buttermilk, add the cherry syrup and stir. While mixer is on low, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the batter. Lastly, add the chopped cherries, and slowly mix just until evenly dispersed into the batter.

• Add the batter to the lined cupcakes and fill to ¾ full. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean and free of crumbs. Let cupcakes cool.

• While cupcakes are cooling, mix the frosting.

Cherry Buttercream Ingredients

• 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 lbs powdered sugar, sifted

• ¾ cup Maraschino cherry juice

• ½ cup heavy whipping cream

• ¼ tsp red food color gel

Cherry Buttercream Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth.

• Add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, to the butter. Cream after each addition.

• After half the sugar has been added, add the cherry juice and mix until combined.

• Add enough whipping cream until you get your desired consistency, you may not need all of it, or you might want to add more.

• Mix in the coloring.

• After everything has been combined, mix on high for 30 seconds.

• Place in a piping bag with your choice of tip and decorate each cupcake.