These delicious Cherry Coke Cupcakes are perfect for those Coca-Cola fans like myself. Made using deliciously sweet Cherry Coke in the batter, and topped off with Cherry Coke buttercream frosting and a sweet fresh cherry.
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Hey friends!
I’m sure by now y’all know that I’m a mashoosive Cherry Coke fan, right?
If not, have you been living under a rock? Or maybe you’re just new here. In which case, Welcome! *waves frantically* 🙂
I can’t even remember never drinking Coke, but I wouldn’t have been drinking it from my baby bottle now would I? In fact, that sounds pretty darn cool. 😆
I can’t even remember never drinking Coke, but I wouldn’t have been drinking it from my baby bottle now, would I? In fact, that sounds pretty darn cool. 😆 And I know that it’s bad but I do drink Coke every.single.day. and multiple times a day unless we’re out of it (and that is a rarity as I usually just stock up on multipacks in advance… *cough* addicted *cough*.
If we’re out of Coke, I get twitchy and nervous – joking, kinda. And your girl here doesn’t like coffee. I need my caffeine fix somehow. We all have our vices.
Water? Pfffttt! Screw you water, I want my Coca-Cola. It has water in it, right? Then we’re settled, Coke it is please. Make it a pint too, thank you.
I’ve been itching to make these Cherry Coke Cupcakes for a long time. The only excuse I have for not creating them is the fact that Coke disappears in this house so fast that it’s pretty much always in someone’s glass.
Not only that, but it’s only the giant-man baby and I that drink Coca-Cola. We go through so many bottles that I often wonder what the trash/recycling men must think of us!
We decided to make a night of it. It’s just too darn hot without A/C to be doing anything other than star-fishing in front of the fan on full whack. So that’s what we did. The kiddos and I decided to escape to the kitchen and bake, leaving the room in-between additions/mixing, as the oven was kicking out even more heat too – the kitchen itself was like an oven!
But let me tell you, [apart from the sweat-fest endurance prepping and baking] these cherry coke cupcakes were worth almost cooking myself in the hot kitchen, and every single bead of sweat.
Cherry Coke Cupcakes Recipe
These Cherry Coke cupcakes have cherry coke in the batter, making for a super moist flavourful cupcake. You can really taste the Cherry Coke flavour in these cupcakes.
In fact, to amp up the flavours, in addition to the already present Cherry Coke flavour in this recipe, I also added some Cola extract and some cherry flavouring to both the cupcakes AND the buttercream frosting.
Cherry Coke Frosting
The frosting also has cherry coca-cola in it to. *twitch, blink, twitch* 😆
They’re also topped off with a sweet delicious fresh cherry. Seriously, what more could you ask for? Coke that you can eat and drink at the same time. Now I definitely stand behind this!
And if you’re one of those peeps that likes peanuts in their Coke. Southern Americans, I’m looking at you… feel free to add some chopped peanuts onto the frosting. Or you could core the cupcakes and fill with peanut butter for that sweet and salty kick.
These Cherry Coke cupcakes are best served with an ice cold bottle of Coke. Yummers!

Cherry Coca-Cola (Coke) Cupcakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 12
These delicious Cherry Coca-Cola (Coke) Cupcakes are perfect for those Coca-Cola fans like myself. Made using deliciously sweet Cherry Coke and topped off with Cherry Coke buttercream frosting and a sweet fresh cherry.
Ingredients:
Cherry Coke Cupcakes
- 113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 145g (¾ cup) brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 125ml (½ cup) cherry coca-cola/coke
- 63ml (¼ cup) buttermilk
- 125g (1 cup) self-raising flour
- 15g (1 tbsp) cocoa powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- a few drops of cola extract (Sainsbury’s or Lorann’s oils)
- a few drops of cherry flavouring (Lorann’s oils or any extract)
Cherry Coke Frosting
- approx. 50ml (¼ cup) Cherry Coca-Cola
- 110g (almost ¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- approx. 350g (2¾-3 cups icing (confectioners’) sugar
- a few drops of cola extract (Sainsbury’s or Lorann’s oils)
- a few drops of cherry flavouring (Lorann’s oils or any extract)
Decorations
- (optional) 12 fresh cherries
Directions:
- To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4. Place 12 cupcake liners into a muffin pan and set aside.
- Beat the butter with the sugar until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix the cola and the buttermilk together in a jug. In a bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) together.
- Pour about a third of the cherry coke and buttermilk mixture into the creamed butter and sugar, the sieve in about a third of the flour, cocoa powder, soda mix and stir well. Repeat this process until all ingredients are added and stir until blended and smooth.
- Taste test the batter. If you feel the cherry cola flavour needs a little lift, add a few drops of both the cherry and cola extract/flavouring until desires taste is reached.
- Pour into each cupcake liner to about ½ to ¾ full and bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer comes out clean, then remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, cream the butter with the icing sugar adding the cherry coca-cola a little at a time until smooth and creamy.
- Again, taste test the frosting. If you feel the cherry cola flavour needs a little lift, add a few drops of both the cherry and cola extract/flavouring until desires taste is reached.
- To decorate, use a piping bag with a large star tip and pipe swirls onto each cupcake. Top off with a fresh cherry.
Notes:
When stirring the cupcake batter after the cola/buttermilk and self-raising flour has been mixed, it will become rather frothy. This is normal and the chemical reaction between the ingredients in the cola and the raising agents.
Adapted from
Saved by Cake by Marian Keyes.
What’s your favourite ‘soft’ drink?

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Oh my these look amazing! I will have to make them for my mother in law soon as she loves cherry coke! I would love for you to link these up with me this week! The party starts at 8pm!
http://www.livingbettertogether.com/2013/07/tgif-link-party-no-5.html
Does someone have the recipe amounts adjusted for English system vs Metric system?
Is there an ENGLISH measurement version of this recipe?
Lisa – these cupcake are looking fantastic!
I don’t think I have seen such perfect cupcakes for a long time 😀
These look delicious!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
P.S I will not be commenting for 4 weeks due to exams – see you afterwards 🙂
Oh Uru, I’m sure you’ll do amazing anyway.
I’ll be thinking of you. Good luck!
These are simply gorgeous!! Great recipe!!
I love cherry coke! These cupcakes are gorgeous Lisa!
I LOVE THESE. In the US there’s a restaurant called Johnny Rocket’s and as a kid, I was obsessed with their cherry cokes and vanilla cokes! SO stinkin’ good. These cupcakes look gorgeous AND delicious!
These look AWESOME! I am a big Diet Coke fan, but I tend to buy it when I’m out rather than have it at home. Somehow then it feels like much more of a treat – a cold can straight from the supermarket fridge 🙂
Hehe, I know what you mean. I used to buy the bulk cans of cherry coke from Makro all the time. There’s just something more special drinking from a can rather than from a bottle. In fact, it’s even better when you’re on holiday abroad after a long hard day relaxing by the sea or pool and you order a coke and get it in a authentic glass bottle – bliss!
Can’t say I’m much of a fan of the diet drinks though. They taste funny to me without the proper sugar. I’m just a sugar fiend, but I guess you figured that out anyway! 😉
Thanks for stopping by, Jo.
Oh, these look lush! Beautiful 🙂
Love these! Cherry cola can be hard to get in the uk sometimes, so I think people go crazy when they can get it!
I’m in the UK and have had absolutely no problem buying Cherry Coke. It’s available in cans, small bottles and large bottles in all the supermarkets here in the east midlands. Where abouts are you in the UK? I had no idea it wasn’t available all over the UK, that sucks. Even Asda and TESCO do their own brand of cherry cola (I won’t drink it though).
You can sub out the cherry coke for regular coke and just add cherry flavouring though if you’re not able to find it. Just make sure you don’t use diet as you need the sugars in the coke for this recipe.
Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Hi! We’re in East Anglia and where we are if you find cherry coke it is major excitement. Even the big supermarkets rarely stock it. I have no idea why. >:(
Well that sucks. I think I’d go crazy too and get overly excited once I found it if I were in that area.
I do know that the other flavours that are available in the US, Australia, etc. aren’t available here. The vanilla and the other ones I can’t think of right now.
I hope it manages to find its way over to your area and soon.
Um, YUM. These sound and look absolutely amazing, I have a proper craving now!
These look absolutely amazing. I never even thought of using Coca Cola in baking. I might have to give this a try x
Your photos are amazing Lisa!!! They look delicious 🙂
I love chocolate coke cake, so these look great to try as an alternative. They look beautiful (although I’m not sure about your obsession!)
Thanks so much for linking with us at Marvelous Mondays, pinned to my Marvelous Mondays board!
Thanks so much for the party! Your cherry coke cupcakes look amazing! I’ve pinned them, so I don’t lose it. I wish you a great week!
Melissa @ The Alchemist
These are too cute and I bet they taste yummy too! I love the fresh cherries as a topper.
Found you through Marvelous Monday’s Link Party.
I love cherry coke and these look delicious. Cupcakes are my favorite desert to bring to parties so I’m always trying new recipes.
OMG.. Cherry and Coke cupcakes… These look amazing and I am sure they taste the same…. Yummy.
I haven’t had a cherry coke in ages … Bet this recipe is amazing 🙂
These cupcakes are gorgeous! The frosting is just right. Sorry, though, I can’t stand Coke- Pepsi all the way!
Great post! Your cupcakes look wonderful! I need to bake these one day. I found you from Ducks in a Row blog hop. Blessings Always and visit me anytime! Diane Roark recipesforourdailybread.com
Oh my, these look wonderful, Lisa! I wish I had one right now. Pinned and sharing on FB, Twitter and G+! Thanks for sharing at Marvelous Mondays!
These cupcakes are so pretty! And we love Cherry Coke in our house. 😉
Thank you for sharing at this week’s Marvelous Mondays Party.
These look wonderful and I really want to try them. Any advice as to where to buy Cola Extract? They don’t seem to sell it in the grocery stores here in the US. Thanks!
I’m not in the US, but I know that LorAnn oils comes from the US. We have to import them here. I used the LorAnn oils in this recipe (apart from the frosting since the LorAnn flavouring since it’s dark cola coloured).
I can’t really answer on where to purchase them from since I’ve never been to the states – le sigh. Perhaps from the LorAnn Oils website? Hopefully someone may chime in with some info on where to buy them in the states. I’d imagine that any decent cake decorating store sells them though. That’s where I bought mine from locally.
If you’re still troubled on finding some, I could probably send you some over. But that would work out more expensive since they’re quite pricey here with the export costs being added to the retail price then shipping back to where they came from in the first place. 😆
The gang at My Personal Accent thinks your post about Cherry Coca-Cola Cupcakes is fantastic and we would like to invite you to party with us at starting at 5:00 Thursday nights at our new Blog Strut Peacock Style Link Party to share your creative ideas. Come on over!! http://wp.me/p2Vf55-XA
These look really awesome. I’ve featured this recipe on my blog, hoping that you don’t mind, but if you do, please contact me and I’ll remove it. All the best.
Hi there!
I’m just amazed with your site, and just fell in love with this recipe.
I found only one problem as I was planning to try it….here in my country (Brazil) we don’t have cherry cokes… could you help me and suggest an substitute for it that will keep it good and so delicious as it seems on your pics?
I’m afraid just mixing normal coke with cherry with maraschino liqueur … using the maraschino liqueur would work as well?
Thanks for this lovely and delicious recipe!
Would these be ok without the cola essence? I cant get hold of any obviously short notice and am planning on making these tomorrow. didn’t realise it was so hard to get hold of! Im planning on getting some for next time but need it for tomorrow! :-/ help!!