Cherry Mini Cakes Food

MINI CHOCOLATE-CHERRY BUNDT CAKES

Steps:

• For the cakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Chop 6 of the maraschino cherries and toss with a small amount of flour to coat in a small bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt and set aside. In another bowl, mix the buttermilk, cherry syrup, baking soda, vanilla and egg with a fork and set aside.
• Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small pan. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat; add the cocoa and whisk to combine. Add the boiling water to the cocoa mixture and allow to bubble for a moment, then turn off the heat.
• Pour the cocoa mixture into the flour mixture. Stir together for a moment to cool the chocolate, then pour in the egg mixture. Mix in the flour-coated cherries.
• Divide the batter among the cavities of a 6-cavity nonstick mini Bundt pan and bake until an inserted cake tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pan briefly before removing them to a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet.
• For the chocolate ganache: Heat the cream in a small saucepan until very hot, then add the vanilla. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in a heatproof bowl; stir completely to melt the chocolate.
• Pour the ganache over the cakes. Chop the remaining 6 cherries and sprinkle them over the top. Allow the ganache to set before serving.

CHERRY MINI CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter 6 (6-ounce) ramekins
• Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the cherries and 1 tablespoon of the Kirsch, and cook until the fruit softens and glazes, about 7 minutes. Divide the cherries with their juices evenly among the prepared ramekins.
• Pulse the cream cheese, sugar substitute, eggs, and remaining 2 tablespoons of Kirsch in a food processor until smooth. Pour the filling into the ramekins.
• Bake the cheesecakes until the edges puff slightly and the centers almost set, about 25 minutes. Cool the cheesecakes on a rack in the ramekins. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
• When ready to serve, run a small knife around the outside of the cheesecakes. Carefully invert each cheesecake onto a plate, then flip the cheesecakes over so the cherries are on the bottom. Lightly dust with cocoa.

CHERRY MINI POUND CAKES

Steps:

• With electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla on low speed until blended, then on high speed 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add dry ingredients alternately with sweetened condensed milk to creamed mixture, mixing lightly after each addition.
• Fold in cherries.
• Turn batter into greased and floured mini loaf pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
• Let cool in pans: 5 minutes; invert cakes onto rack and let cool completely.
• Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

CHERRY MINI CAKES

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 375 degrees or 325 degrees for dark or nonstick pans.
• 2. Grease only the bottoms only of about 60 mini muffin cups with shortening or cooking spray, or you can use liners.
• 3. In a large bowl, beat all mini cake ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
• 4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups about 1/2 full. If using one pan at a time, refrigerate batter while the other little cakes are baking. Wash pan before filling with batter again, or place new liners.
• 5. Bake 10 to 13 minutes, do a toothpick test and if it comes out clean, remove the cakes to a wire rack and cool for about 5 minutes then remove them from the pan to cool completely.
• 6. Place the cupcakes on a wire rack with a drip pan below or use waxed paper to catch the dripping glaze.
• 7. In a 3-quart saucepan, mix all glaze ingredients except the hot water on low-heat, stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved.
• 8. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons hot water. If necessary, stir in up to 1 teaspoon more water so glaze will just coat the cakes.
• 9. Turn each cake, top side down on cooling rack. Pour about 1 Tbsp. of glaze over each cake, letting the glaze coat the sides. Let stand until the glaze is set, about 15 minutes.
• 10. Top each cake with your chosen decorations. Store covered at room temperature.
• 11. Can also be frozen for up to 2 weeks.

CHERRY MINI CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms only of about 58 mini muffin cups. In large bowl, beat mini cakes ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about half full). (If using one pan, refrigerate batter while baking other cakes; wash pan before filling with additional batter.)
• Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove cakes from muffin cups to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Place cooling rack on cookie sheet or waxed paper to catch glaze drips. In 3-quart saucepan, mix all glaze ingredients except hot water. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons hot water. If necessary, stir in up to 1 teaspoon more water so glaze will just coat cakes.
• Turn each cake so top side is down on cooling rack. Pour about 1 tablespoon glaze over each cake, letting glaze coat sides. Let stand until glaze is set, about 15 minutes.
• Top each cake with candy hearts. Store loosely covered.

MINI CHERRY CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine crumbs and butter; press gently onto bottoms of 12 foil-lined muffin cups. In another bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Add egg; beat on low speed just until combined. Spoon over crusts. , Bake until centers are almost set, 12-15 minutes. Cool completely. , For topping, drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice in a saucepan; discard remaining juice. To reserved juice, add cherries, sugar, cornstarch and, if desired, food coloring. Bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Cool; spoon over cheesecakes. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours.

CHERRY POUND CAKE (MINI LOAVES OR BUNDT CAKE)

Steps:

• Drain maraschino cherries and cut into quarters. Set aside.
• Combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on low speed, and then beat on high speed 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with sweetened condensed milk to butter mixture, mixing lightly after each addition.
• Fold in maraschino cherries. Pour batter into 6 mini loaf pans, or into a Bundt pan.
• Bake in a preheated 350 oven 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

MINI CHERRY CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Place a vanilla wafer into the bottom of each muffin cup.
• Beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a bowl until fluffy. Spoon mixture into the muffin cups, filling them 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheesecake filling is set, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Spoon 2 or 3 cherries from pie filling over each cheesecake.