Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 170°C fan/ gas mark 5/ 375°F
Line the cupcake tin with 10 paper cases
Quarter the cherries and wash. Dry thoroughly with kitchen paper
Grate the lemon rind.
For the cakes:
Beat the cake ingredients, apart from the cherries, together thoroughly in a machine or with a hand mixer(Butter, caster sugar, flour, baking powder, egg, milk, grated lemon rind)
Add the cherries and mix in, on a low speed or by handIf using a food processor do this by hand
Divide the mixture between the paper cases
Cook for 25-30 minutes until the cake surface springs back when you touch it lightly with your fingertip
Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove and leave to cool on a wire rack.
For the buttercream:
Beat the softened butter and the cherry brandy with an electric whisk Add the icing sugar gradually, beating well as you go. Add drops of food colouring to get the colour you want
Pipe a swirl of buttercream into each cake. Top with a maraschino cherry
Notes
Everyday Cooks tip:
If you prefer to make smaller cakes, use fairy cake tins and paper cases. the recipe will make 20 fairy cakes
You could use sieved cherry jam instead of cherry brandy for the buttercream
If you only have plain/all-purpose flour, add 1 teaspoon (5ml) of baking powder to 100g flour to turn it into self-raising flour