Greetings! Hope everyone is enjoying their summer. I can’t believe that it’s almost half over! This month I whipped up some Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes. Sure to please at your next barbeque or party. 😉 Enjoy!
Last month my cousin threw a surprise birthday party for her mom. She asked all of our family if we could help out with some of our best dishes and desserts. I made my aunt’s birthday cake and I made these cupcakes with a homemade cherry filling that my mom made from cherries my aunt gave her.
Yes! My aunt has cherry trees and so many other fruit trees and a beautiful garden. Her home is very unique. It’s decorated in the Polish Highlander style that she and my uncle did all themselves over 40 years ago. You truly feel like you’re in Zakopane when you are there… the only thing missing is a beautiful view of the Tatry Mountains. This is a picture of her foyer to give you an idea. All the wood details were hand carved (my uncle learned from his father-in-law) and the highlander dress that little girl doll is wearing was made especially for my cousin. She actually wore it when she was a little girl.
My uncle even carved a little village of beehives. That’s what the platter of cupcakes is perched on in the picture below. There are no longer any bees there, but I do remember plenty of times when we were visiting that she had lots of beautiful golden jars of honey all over the kitchen. My only regret is that as a kid, you sometimes don’t have a full appreciation for how special a jar of honey from your aunt is over a jar your mom got from the grocery store. I just know that it was good, but I was too young to savor any of the nuances that were likely there. LOL
So the cupcakes were a hit! The birthday girl and her guests enjoyed them very much. I actually probably should’ve made more. 🙂 I made a nice vanilla cupcake, filled with cherry filling, topped with a yummy cream cheese frosting, and finally garnished with some graham cracker crumbs. Summery and tasty!
Stay cool my friends and enjoy some Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes!
Happy baking!
xox Roxana- The Red Eye Baker
- CUPCAKES
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2¼ c flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ c butter, room temperature
- 1¾ c sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 c whole milk, room temperature
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 1 brick of cream cheese
- 1 stick of butter, room temperature
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 – 5 c powdered sugar
- FILLING & GARNISH
- approx. 2 c cherry filling (homemade or store bought)
- 3 graham crackers, crushed
- 1 Tbsp butter, melted
- pinch of salt
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake pans.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside.
- Add the vanilla to the milk and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (approximately 2-3 minutes) scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs one at a time and beat on medium speed until just combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour mixture alternating with the vanilla milk in three additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Using a scoop fill the lined cupcake pans about ¾ full.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Let stand for about a minute and move cupcakes to a cooling rack.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the cream cheese, I usually use it directly from the fridge, but if it’s especially hard then let it set out for 10 – 15 min before using it. Beat the cream cheese until combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and begin adding the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time with the mixer on low speed. Keep adding sugar until your desired thickness and taste is reached.
- Add the pinch of salt and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Place graham crackers in a zip lock bag and crush with a rolling pin or you can use the bottom of a mug/glass.
- Add the salt, sugar, and cinnamon directly to the bag and shake a bit to mix.
- Add the melted butter and mix it in to the crumb mixture.
- Using small knife, melon baller, or cupcake corer, core the center of each cupcake. (Save the centers for any leftover cherry filling.)
- Fill each cupcake center with about a tablespoon of cherry filling.
- In a piping bag fitted with a star tip, pipe a swirl of frosting on each cupcake.
- Sprinkle each cupcake generously with graham cracker topping.
Be sure to try a few of these other delicious cupcake recipes:
