Fresh Cherry Cupcakes

1½ cups All Purpose Flour
1¼ tsp Baking Powder
¼ tsp Salt
½ cup Butter, room temperature
1 cup Sugar
1 large Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
¼ tsp Almond Extract (Optional)
1 cup Buttermilk
1 cup Fresh Pitted Cherries, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Blend in the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract until smooth. Working in two or three additions, gradually mix in the dry ingredients, alternating with additions of buttermilk and ending with an addition of the last of the flour mixture. Stir in chopped cherries.
Bake for 16-19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack completely before frosting. Makes 16.

Quick Vanilla Buttercream:
½ cup Butter, room temperature
3 tbsp Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2-3 cups Confectioners’ Sugar
16 Whole Cherries

Combine butter, milk, vanilla and 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar in a medium mixing bowl and mix on high speed until smooth. Gradually blend in remaining confectioners’ sugar until frosting reaches a creamy, spreadable consistency. Add additional sugar to thicken frosting if necessary. Top each cupcake with frosting and a whole, fresh cherry.