Description
Red velvet cupcakes filled with a creamy cheesecake center, topped with silky cream cheese frosting and fresh strawberry slices, perfect for parties or a special treat.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: 2 1/2 cups
- Granulated Sugar: 1 1/2 cups
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: 2 tablespoons
- Baking Soda: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Buttermilk: 1 cup
- Vegetable Oil: 1 cup
- Eggs: 2 large
- Red Food Coloring: 2 tablespoons (or to desired color)
- White Vinegar: 1 teaspoon
- Vanilla Extract: 2 teaspoons
- Cream Cheese (for filling): 8 oz, softened
- Granulated Sugar (for filling): 1/4 cup
- Egg Yolk: 1
- Vanilla Extract (for filling): 1/2 teaspoon
- Cream Cheese (for frosting): 8 oz, softened
- Unsalted Butter: 1/2 cup, softened
- Powdered Sugar: 4 cups
- Vanilla Extract (for frosting): 1 teaspoon
- Fresh Strawberries: 1 cup, sliced, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Combine Ingredients: In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl beat together sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring, white vinegar, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: Fill each cupcake liner with about 1 tablespoon of red velvet batter to cover the bottom.
- Assemble the Dish: For the cheesecake filling, beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the egg yolk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Place about 1 teaspoon of the cheesecake mixture into the center of each cupcake cup on top of the initial batter, then cover with more red velvet batter until each liner is about two-thirds full.
- Cook to Perfection: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion (not the cheesecake center) comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Finishing Touches: For the frosting, beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter until creamy, then gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Chill briefly if needed to firm up the frosting for piping.
- Serve and Enjoy: Pipe or spread the cream cheese frosting onto cooled cupcakes and top each with sliced fresh strawberries. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature.
Notes
- Tip: Use room temperature ingredients for a smoother batter and filling.
- Tip: Chill the cheesecake filling slightly for neater scooping into the batter.
- Tip: Bake until the cake portion tests clean with a toothpick to avoid overbaking the cupcakes.
- Note: Store cupcakes refrigerated because of the cream cheese components.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
Keywords: Strawberry Cheesecake Red Velvet Cupcakes, red velvet cupcakes, cheesecake filled cupcakes, cream cheese frosting, strawberry cupcakes, dessert recipe, party cupcakes