Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes
Cherry cheesecake cupcakes- sweet vanilla cupcakes with a graham cracker bottom, filled with fresh cherry filling and frosted with my favorite cream cheese buttercream. They're like little cherry cheesecakes in cupcake form!
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Base
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Vanilla Cake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour *See notes below for measuring*
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cherry Filling
- 2 1/2 cups frozen sweet red cherries
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 6 ounces full-fat cream cheese cold
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- Extra fresh cherries for decorating
Instructions
Make the Cupcake Batter
- Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners and preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker crumbs into the bottoms of each cupcake liner. Set aside the leftovers for later!
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix in the butter on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Pour half into the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until the flour is moistened. Scrape down the bowl. Then mix half of the remaining mixture, scrape down the bowl, and mix in the rest.
- Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners so that each one is roughly 2/3 full. Bake for 16-22 minutes or until the tops bounce back when touched. Let the pan cool on a wire rack. You'll have enough batter for roughly 16-18 cupcakes.
Make the Cherry Filling
- Combine the cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, mashing frequently, for 15-20 minutes or until the cherries have released their juices, are bubbling, and starting to thicken. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 2 minutes longer, then transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool before using.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixing bowl, cream the butter until fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Mix in the cream cheese on low until just combined. Then, mix in the powdered sugar. When combined, beat on medium-low speed until white and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the heavy cream and vanilla until combined.
Assembly
- Keep the cupcakes in the cupcake pan and core roughly half of the centers. Use a piping bag or spoon to fill the center with the cherry filling, then pipe the cream cheese frosting around the center. Gently roll the sides of the frosting in the reserved graham cracker crumbs. Fill the center with more cherry filling, then garnish with fresh cherries. Enjoy!
Notes
*Measure your dry ingredients properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour, as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
Storage/Freezing: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freezer for up to 1 month. Let them come to room temperature before serving!
