Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes and a 3rd Blog Birthday

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes and a 3rd Blog Birthday

Prep time 20 mins
Cook time 25 mins
Total time 45 mins
Serves: 12 cupcakes

These Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes have a graham cracker base topped with a strawberry cake layer, cream cheese frosting and fresh strawberries. Perfect for any birthday, Easter dinner or Spring celebration! Sprinkles bakery recipe.

Ingredients
Crust

� cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter

Cupcakes

� cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
2 large eggs
� cup fresh, chopped strawberries (or frozen, thawed and drained), pureed
� cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1� cups (about 188g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
� teaspoon salt

Cream cheese frosting

4oz (1/2 8oz package) cream cheese, room temperature
� cup unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of salt
� teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered icing sugar
1 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Instructions
Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12 cup muffin pan with liners.
Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter, divide between muffin cups and press down into the bottom.
Bake for 5 minutes or until just starting to dry but not crumbly. Set aside.

Cupcakes

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, strawberry puree, milk, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir just until combined. Divide between muffin cups and bake for 19-21 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely before frosting.

Cream cheese frosting:

Add cream cheese and butter to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add salt, vanilla and 1 cup of sugar. Beat until smooth.
Gradually add in remaining 1 cup sugar, beating until smooth, until desired consistency is reached.
Combine 1 cup strawberries and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl and stir to coat. Let sit 5-10 minutes.
Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes, leaving an indentation in the center for strawberries. Spoon strawberries into the center of each cupcake. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 2 days.