A bright and sweet treat!
These pink Shirley Temple cupcakes are just as lively, fun, and full of cheer as their namesake. Staying true to the spirit of the classic kid-friendly drink, they're filled from frosting to sponge with that nostalgic lemon-lime flavor infused with grenadine—and don't forget the maraschino cherry on top!
To make the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon zest, and lime zest.
- Add butter, and mix at medium-low speed for 3 minutes. Because there is so little butter, you'll end up with a very fine-crumb texture.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, and beat at medium speed until just combined.
- Slowly add grenadine and water, mixing at low speed until just combined. The batter will be liquidy.
- Divide 16 cupcake liners among 2 12-cup muffin pans. Fill each liner 3 quarters full.
- Bake for 14 minutes, then test for doneness. They are done when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it. If they are not done, test again in 2-minute increments.
- When cupcakes are done, immediately remove from the pans and place them on a cooling rack or on your counter to cool.
To make the frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on high speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Mix in powdered sugar a little bit at a time.
- Mix in grenadine and salt.
- Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
- Top with cherries and decorate with paper straws, if desired.
