Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

By joylicious

What's better than cheesecake? Cheesecake in CUPCAKE form. A moist vanilla cake with a cream cheese frosting and graham cracker bottom, will surely send your mouth to heaven.

Ingredients

• Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting:
• Ingredients for Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes
• 3/4 * 3/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 * 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/4 * 1/4 t salt
• 6 * 6 T unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 * 1/2 c + 1 T sugar
• 1/2 * 1/2 t vanilla
• 1/4 * 1/4 c sour cream or plain yogurt
• 2 * 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 * 1/4 cup fresh strawberries, hulled & coarsely chopped
• 1 * 1 package of graham crackers, smashed into crumbs
• * 4-oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 * 4 T butter, softened
• 1/4 * 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 * 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare 6 – 8 muffin tins. Sprinkle about 1 t of the crushed graham cracker into the bottom of each prepared muffin tin.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder & salt. In a large bowl, cream together butter & sugar until light & fluffy and then add the vanilla & beat on a low-speed. Then add half the flour mixture until incorporated then mix in the sour cream or yogurt. Add remaining flour & mix until just blended.
In another bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peak appear, about 2 minutes. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg into the batter until combined, do not over mix the egg whites or the cake will fall flat. Add remaining egg and fold in the chopped strawberries. Fill each muffin tin about 3/4 of the way and bake for about 20 minutes depending on your oven. You can test the doneness by sticking a toothpick through the center, if it comes out clean it is ready to take out!In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy. Spread icing on cupcakes and garnish with fresh cut strawberries — yields 6-8 cupcakes.