Description
Mini, soft cupcake bites filled with creamy cheesecake and topped with bright, juicy cherries — these treats combine indulgent cheesecake flavor and bite-sized convenience. They’re perfect for parties, dessert trays, or anytime you want a small, elegant dessert without the fuss.
Ingredients
For the Cupcake Base
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1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
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½ cup granulated sugar
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½ teaspoon baking powder
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¼ teaspoon salt
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½ cup unsalted butter, softened
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2 large eggs
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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½ cup milk
For the Cheesecake Filling
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8 oz (≈ 225 g) cream cheese, softened
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¼ cup granulated sugar
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cherry Topping
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1 cup fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and chopped (if frozen — thaw & drain)
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2–3 tablespoons cherry jam or cherry pie filling (optional — adds shine & sweetness)
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Optional: a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten flavor
Instructions
1. Preheat & Prep
Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
Line a mini muffin pan (or regular muffin tin for standard size) with paper liners or lightly grease.
2. Make the Cupcake Batter
In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In another bowl, cream softened butter, then add eggs, vanilla, and milk — mix until smooth.
Gradually add the dry mixture to wet ingredients and stir until just combined (avoid overmixing).
3. Mix the Cheesecake Filling
In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
4. Assemble the Cupcake Bites
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Spoon a small amount of cupcake batter into each mini muffin cup (fill about ⅓ full).
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Add about 1 teaspoon of cheesecake filling on top of the batter in each cup.
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Top with a few chopped cherries (and a small spoon of jam or pie filling, if using).
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Lightly press to distribute filling and topping slightly into batter — don’t mix.
5. Bake
Bake for about 18–22 minutes (or 22–25 if using standard muffin tin), until cupcakes are set around edges and a toothpick in cake portion comes out mostly clean (cheesecake center may stay slightly moist).
Remove from oven, let cool in pan 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Finish & Serve
Once cooled, you can add a small dollop of jam or a halved cherry on top for decoration.
Serve chilled or at room temperature — cheesecake filling stays creamy.
Notes
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Use softened cream cheese to avoid lumps in the filling.
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If using frozen cherries — thaw and drain well to avoid excess moisture.
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Don’t overfill muffin cups — cheesecake layer needs room to bake without overflow.
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Let cupcakes cool completely before moving — cheesecake center takes a bit to set.