Name: Shirley Temple Cherry Cupcakes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 24 cupcakes
Cuisine: American

Cake Mix Recipes Verified

February 6, 2026

These Shirley Temple Cherry Cupcakes are inspired by the classic Shirley temple! They start with a box cake mix and are so quick and easy! Just in case you don’t know, a Shirley temple is a drink! It’s non-alcoholic and traditionally made with ginger ale (I like to use Sprite instead!), a splash of grenadine and garnished with a maraschino cherry. So, a drink… but in cupcake form! I know, sounds crazy. This recipe takes that same flavor profile, the ginger ale and grenadine, but makes it into a tender light cupcake.

From the Cook

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Shirley Temple Cherry Cupcakes

Cake Mix Recipes Verified

Ingredients

WarningMilk and 5 other allergens identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or line a standard muffin tin.

Add cake mix to a large mixing bowl. Using a hand or stand mixer, add in your oil, egg whites, and soda, and mix on medium until well incorporated. Mix in *1/2-3/4 of the jello.

Add batter into the muffin tin until each is about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Directions for Frosting

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand or stand mixer, cream the butter, and cream cheese, and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.

Mix the half and half or milk and Shirley Temple soda together. (If you don’t, the carbonation in the soda will break your frosting)

Mix in the remaining jello.

Slowly mix in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, while adding a bit of the liquid mixture from Step 7 in between each cup. Continue to mix for 1-2 minutes or until creamy and forms stiff peaks, but don’t overmix! Add in food coloring if desired. Start with 1-2 drops and mix. Continue until color is achieved.

Prepare piping bag and fill bag with frosting and frost your cupcakes.