Preheat oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, sift together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients (except pie filling). Whisk together by hand or with a mixer, but take care not to overwork the batter.

Once wet ingredients are incorporated, slowly pour into bowl with dry ingredients, mixing as you pour. Pour batter into cupcake liners in a muffin tin.

Bake for 12 minutes at 350°F. 

When cupcakes are done baking, remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Carefully cut a hole in the center of the cupcake, leaving about 1/2? of cupcake on all sides and at the bottom. Remove this cylinder-shaped piece of cake and set aside. (Don’t toss them!)

Pour cherry pie filling into the hole you cut in each cupcake. (We strained the fruit chunks out of our pie filling beforehand so the filling would be smooth).

Remember the pieces of cake you cut out of the middle? Cut those in half, keeping the top half. (You can toss the bottom half now).

Use the top piece of cupcake, your “stopper” piece, to cover the jelly filling. 

Scoop whipped topping into a plastic frosting piping bag and frost your cupcakes. We also topped ours with red sugar sprinkles!