Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

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Even though I am a huge chocolate lover, these are one of my favorite cupcakes! Baked right on top of a buttery brown sugar graham crust, stuffed with strawberry filling, topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting, and finished with a ripe juicy strawberry, these cupcakes the ultimate indulgence. 

The addition of tangy sour cream cream and lemon juice give the cupcake a nice, dense, cheesecake-y flavor. The best part about these cupcakes is you can swap out the strawberry for your favorite fruit flavor, like blueberry, raspberry or cherry. It's the perfect cupcake for a Sunday brunch or special occasion, great for children and adults alike! 

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Check out baking tips, tricks & ingredient substitutions.

Yield: 12 standard cupcakes or 2 dozen mini cupcakes (about 2 1/4 cups batter)

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust:

• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, plus extra for garnish
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar 
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted  

Vanilla Sour Cream Cupcakes:

• 1 cup cake flour* 
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, softened 
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil 
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg white, room temperature (separate when cold)

* Click here to learn how to make your own cake flour substitute!

Strawberry Filling:
(Note: You may use strawberry preserves, jelly, or pie filling/topping for a quick and simple alternative or follow the fruit filling recipe below)

• 12 ounce bag of frozen (or fresh) strawberries
• 3/4 cup water, more or less
• 1/2 cup pure cane, granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cheesecake Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 (8oz package) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), sifted 
• 6 strawberries, sliced in half for garnish

Directions 

Prepare Crust: 
Combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter. Line a cupcake pan with 12 standard size baking cups (or 24 minis). Spoon about 1 tablespoon into bottom of each baking cup and press down with the bottom of a cup or your fingers (use about 1 teaspoon per cup with mini cupcakes). 


Prepare Cupcakes: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Weigh flour and sift/whisk together with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. On medium speed, beat in the softened butter followed by the oil until the mixture begins to clump together and resemble a moist dough, about 1 minute. In a measuring cup, lightly whisk together the milk, sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla and egg yolks. On low speed, slowly pour in half of the milk/yolk mixture, about 15 seconds. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat batter about 30 seconds on medium speed until smooth. Reduce speed back to low and add remaining milk/yolk mixture in a slow and steady stream until incorporated. Do not over beat your batter.

In a clean and dry glass bowl, beat the egg white until it has become white and fluffy with soft peaks. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped egg white into your batter, in two additions.

Distribute all of the batter between the 12 standard size baking cups (about 3 tablespoons batter each) or 24 mini baking cups (about 1 1/2 tablespoons batter each). Bake standard size cupcakes for 16-20 minutes and minis for 8-10 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. 

Prepare Filling:
Thaw and strain juice from frozen strawberries into a measuring cup. Add enough water to the thawed strawberry juice to get 3/4 cup of liquid (If using fresh fruit, just use 3/4 cup water). Press the thawed or fresh strawberries through a fine mesh strainer, into a bowl if you do not want seeds in your filling (you should get between 1/3 - 1/2 cup of pulp) or simply cut strawberries into small pieces.

In a small saucepan, combine fruit juice/water mixture, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens and has reached a boil. Remove from heat, and cool completely. Stir pulp/strawberries into cooled mixture.
(Note: You may also use fruit preserves, jelly, or pie filling/topping for a quick and simple alternative.)

Prepare frosting: 

With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth (make sure they are both at room temperature so you do not get lumps in your frosting). Gradually beat in 2 cups powdered sugar until incorporated, adding more until desired consistency is reached. Add vanilla and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Assemble: 

Fill cupcakes with fruit filling using a bismark filling tip, or cut out a cone shaped piece out of the top of the cupcake with a knife, spoon filling into the hole and then place the piece back on top. Frost cupcakes, sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs and top with a strawberry cut in half length wise.

Made with cherry topping, by Rhonda in Kansas

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