Baking: Black Forest Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25-ounce) box devil's food cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups cherry soda
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 container cream cheese frosting
• 2 tablespoons cherry syrup
• 5 to 6 drops pink food coloring
• 24 (10 oz jar) whole maraschino cherries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl combine cake mix, soda, vegetable oil and eggs. Using a hand mixer combine all ingredients, batter will still be somewhat lumpy. Pour batter into muffin cups. Bake 19 to 22 minutes, turning the pans halfway through baking. Remove to a rack and allow to cool completely.

In a large bowl combine frosting, extract and pink food coloring. Add powder sugar is too liquidy. When cupcakes are cool ice with pink cherry frosting and top each with maraschino cherry

Review
I have baked with soda before and find it quite fun. The carbonation aids in the rising process creating a lighter cupcake. I personally found it light in the cherry flavor. Others seem to find it sweet but still can taste the cherry soda. Next time I plan to sub 1/3 cup soda for cherry liquor.