cherry cheesecake cupcakes*

I have been wanting to make these cupcakes forEVER! Ok, maybe only a few months, but I should have thought of this idea forever ago! I was thinking that I would just make it with a white cake cupcake, but then I had this thought. I wonder if there was a recipe for a graham cracker cake batter?? And alas, THERE IS!! With some minor adaptations to the recipe, it was the perfect cupcake to house some yummy cherry pie filling with a no bake cheesecake swirl topping, a cherry puree drizzle, then finished off with a piece of graham cracker. AMAZING! My new FAVORITE cupcake - I think I say that a lot...!! :)

The no-bake cheesecake filling I have been using for years. Like-since I was probably 13. It is so amazing and SO easy. Especially with a homemade graham cracker crust and raspberry topping. So you want a quick and easy cheesecake recipe, use that filling and make yourself a yummy cheesecake. I don't know why I never thought of using it as a frosting until now. But it is my new favorite discovery!

Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes
from Croutons & Cupcakes
*cake batter adapted from Food Network*

Graham Cupcakes

3 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup or 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 large egg, separated into 5 yolks and reserving only 3 egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/3 cups milk, room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with 24 cupcake liners.

Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, and set aside.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar in a small bowl and pour in the melted butter. Stir until combined, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and beat about 3 minutes more, or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract and cinnamon. On low speed, mix in 1/3 flour mixture and 1/2 the milk, repeat alternating between the flour and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until the flour is incorporated. Do not over beat once the flour mixture is added. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until medium-stiff peaks form and fold into the batter. Fold in the graham cracker-brown sugar mixture.

Scoop the batter into the lined mini cupcake pan or regular-size cupcake pan.

Bake for 27 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Set aside to cool while you make the cheesecake frosting (recipe below).

After the cupcakes are cooled, hull the cupcakes with a cupcake corer.

Spoon the cherry pie filling carefully into the holes, making sure to fill them nice and full.

Then frost with the cheesecake frosting.

Drizzle with some cherry puree, then garnish with half of 1 square of graham cracker. 

Cherry Filling

1 can cherry pie filling


No Bake Cheesecake Frosting

1 - 8 oz. block of cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 - 8 oz. pkg. Cool Whip, thawed

In a mixer, combine the cream cheese and the sugar. Mix on medium-high until well combined. Add the Cool Whip and continue to mix until it is nice and fluffy. If you want a softer frosting, add more Cool Whip until the desired consistency.


Cherry Puree

1/2 cup cherry pie filling
2 Tbsp. water

In a food processor, pour in the cherry pie filling and 2 Tbsp. water. Continue mixing until all of the cherries are pureed and it is a syrupy consistency.

AMAZING*********!!!

-alyssa*