Cheesecake Cupcakes

  Growing up, my mother always made cheesecake cupcakes at Christmas. It was a treat that everyone looked forward to. Once I moved out on my own, I started baking them much more frequently. They are perfect for sharing with friends, or making new ones. In fact, I am pretty sure these cupcakes are one of the reasons my husband decided to spend his life with me.
  We are six months away from Christmas and the heat has become unbearable. So I decided to whip up a batch of these cupcakes to brighten everyone's moods. Except this time I wanted to add a personal touch. Enter the strawberry topping. These cupcakes are usually topped with a cherry pie filling, but I decided to make them a touch more pretty with some strawberry glaze. Here are the directions:


Cupcake Ingredients:

• Three 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• Vanilla wafers

Step 1: Line a cupcake pan with baking cups, then fill each one with a vanilla wafer.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese and sugar.

  Step 3: Add eggs to mixture & pour mix into cupcake pan.

Step 4: Bake for 30-45 minutes at 350°F.

  For the glaze, I just cut up some strawberries (I had to use frozen since it isn't strawberry season) and cooked them in confectioner's sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract until it was a little bit thicker.
  I hope you enjoy my childhood treat!


-K