Description
These Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes feature a creamy cheesecake filling atop a crunchy vanilla wafer base, finished with a scoop of luscious cherry pie filling. Perfectly portioned and baked individually, they make a delightful and visually appealing dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 30 vanilla wafers
Cheesecake Batter
- 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Topping
- Cherry pie filling (enough for 30 cupcakes, about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the cupcakes.
- Make Cheesecake Batter. Using a mixer, cream together the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and fresh lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. Set aside.
- Prepare Muffin Tin. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners to make removing the cupcakes easier.
- Assemble Cupcakes. Place one vanilla wafer at the bottom of each muffin liner as the base.
- Fill Cups. Spoon the cream cheese batter into each muffin cup, filling about 3/4 full to allow room for rising.
- Bake in Batches. Because the recipe yields 30 cupcakes, bake them one tray at a time to ensure even cooking. Bake each tray for 22 minutes until centers are set but may still slightly jiggle.
- Cool Cupcakes. Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely. It's normal for the centers to sink during cooling.
- Add Cherry Topping. Once cooled, add a scoop of cherry pie filling to the center of each cupcake.
- Chill Before Serving. Refrigerate the cupcakes for at least 1 hour to set the cheesecake and flavors before serving.
Notes
- For best results, bake the cupcakes in batches rather than all at once to ensure even cooking and avoid overcrowding the oven.
- The centers of the cupcakes will naturally sink as they cool; this creates a perfect spot for the cherry pie filling.
- You can substitute cherry pie filling with other fruit toppings such as blueberry or strawberry for variety.
- Using room temperature cream cheese ensures a smooth batter without lumps.
- Store leftover cupcakes refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
