Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

This week I decided to make a cupcake using some of the last of the local strawberries for the year & the flavors of cheesecake. I even decided to add a little graham cracker "crust." These cupcakes came out so tasty. The flavor of the strawberry really comes through. The sour cream gives the cupcake a nice moistness & just a little tartness. The cream cheese frosting is what really makes it taste like cheesecake though. This is a pretty cupcake with the white cake flecked with chopped strawberries.


Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcake
(adapted from Martha's Stewart Coconut Cupcake)

3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
6 T unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c + 1 T sugar
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 c sour cream or plain yogurt
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup fresh strawberries, hulled & coarsely chopped
1 graham cracker, smashed into crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 6 - 8 muffin tins.
In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder & salt. In a large bowl cream together butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Add vanilla & beat. On low speed add half the flour mixture until just blended. Add sour cream or yogurt until blended. 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. Add remaining egg & fold until combined. Fold in the chopped strawberries.
Sprinkle about 1 t of the crushed graham cracker into the bottom of each prepared muffin tin.

Divided equally among the muffin tins. Bake for 20 - 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool before frosting.

The graham cracker crumbs form a little crust on the bottom of the cupcakes.

Makes 6 - 8 cupcakes

Cream Cheese Frosting
(from Paula Deen)

4-oz cream cheese, softened
4 T butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

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.

Frosts 6 - 8 cupcakes

Decorate the cupcake with sliced fresh strawberries.