Cherry Cola Cupcakes

I have read in many food bloggers blogs and recipe books about using Coca Cola in cake recipes. I heard that it tastes really nice. However I still couldnt bring myself to try this one as I couldnt get my head around how something so sweet and fizzy would make my cakes taste amazing. How wrong I was! I decided this weekend to try it out. It is amazing! I made a cherry frosting to go with it topped with a cola glaze. The coke flavour really comes through in the sponge. I highly recommend trying this one out! Cherry Coke Cupcakes Cupcakes: 200g (7oz) Gluten Free plain flour - sieved 250g (8.8oz) golden caster sugar 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 large egg 125ml buttermilk (or 30g/1oz yogurt mixed with 100ml/3.3 Fluid oz of semi-skimmed milk) 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 125g (4.4oz) unsalted butter 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 175ml (6 fluid oz) Coca-Cola Frosting: 125g unsalted butter 500g icing sugar 50ml milk (more if needed) 1 small slug of syrup from a jar of morello cherries Glaze: 225g (8oz) icing sugar 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons of Coca-Cola 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat the egg, buttermilk and vanilla in in a measuring jug. In a heavy-based saucepan, melt the butter, cocoa and Coca-cola, heating it gently. Pour into the dry ingredients, stir well with a wooden spoon, and then add the liquid ingredients from the jug, beating until it is well blended. Pour into a muffin tin that has been greased or lined with papers and bake for 15 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. For the frosting put the unsalted butter into an electric mixer and begin to mix on a low speed. Add the icing sugar by the spoonful, adding milk if the frosting becomes too dry. Pour in a little of the cherry syrup and tint the frosting a pale pink. Leave to mix for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. For the glaze sieve the icing sugar and set aside. In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the butter, Coca-Cola and cocoa and stir over a low heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, and spoon in the sieved icing sugar, beating as you do, until you’ve got a good, spreadable, but still runny, icing. Pour over the frosted cupcakes and allow to dribble do the sides a little. Top with a gummy cola bottle and a cherry.