Cherry Beer Cake

I usually bake like twice a year, so I have no idea what's up with all the baking I've been doing lately. I saw a recipe for a Beer Cake with cherries it it and was intrigued, but it was chocolate. I'm not a cake person, but I do love beer, so I wanted to find a non-chocolate version.

I found a recipe on LiveJournal that the poster had modified. I cut the recipe in half, made a few changes myself, and made 6 cupcakes and a mini loaf. All I had was a Belguim lager, Stella Artois, which is one of my favorite beers, and I think a great one to have used. I wouldn't think something like BudLight would be good choice. I went with a Vanilla Glaze from allrecipes.com, although they'd be just as good without icing. They were amazingly moist and sweet but not overwelming. Definitely a great option for people who don't care for traditional cake.

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 egg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 1/2 cup sifted flour*

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup beer

3/4 cup fresh cherries, pitted and quarted (about a dozen)

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and beat well. (If making full recipe, beat well after each egg.)

3. In seperate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt.

4. To butter mixture, alternately add beer and flour mix, stirring well in between.

5. Stir in cherries and nuts.

6. Pour into greased muffin tins, loaf pan, or cake pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (It took about 25 minutes for the cupcakes, and about 30-35 for the mini loaf.)

* I don't have a sifter, so I just used 1 1/2 tbsp less of the 1 1/2 cups of flour.

Vanilla Glaze (from allrecipes)
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 tbsp milk
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp butter

1. Melt butter, and add to rest of ingredients. Stir until creamy.