Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Cupcakes

Spring is almost here, honest it is.  Once spring arrives, summer isn’t far behind so why not start planning for your summertime dessert treats?  Cooking Classy has the perfect treat – a lemon flavored cheesecake cupcake topped with fresh strawberries.  Oh yes indeed.

Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Cupcakes

Makes about 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (from about 2 cups cookies)
• 3 Tbsp salted butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp packed finely grated lemon zest
• 2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened (I always recommend using Philadelphia for cheesecake)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 Tbsp heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 – 1 1/2 tsp lemon extract, to taste
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 8 oz fresh strawberries
• 1 Tbsp sugar, or to taste
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl whisk together wafer crumbs, melted butter and 1 Tbsp granulated sugar until evenly moistened.
• Divide mixture among 12 paper lined muffin cups, adding about 1 1/2 Tbsp to each cup (use paper liners, don’t use foil liners) and press mixture in each cup into and even layer.
• Bake in preheated oven 5 minutes then remove from oven and set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• In a food processor, pulse together 3/4 cup granulated sugar with lemon zest (if you don’t have a food processor you can just rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips).
• Add cream cheese to a mixing bowl and pour sugar mixture over cream cheese and using an electric hand mixer set on low speed, blend mixture together just until smooth.
• Stir in eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined after each addition. Blend in sour cream and heavy cream. Stir in lemon juice, lemon extract and vanilla extract.
• Tap mixing bowl against counter top to release some of the air bubbles, about 30 times.
• Divide mixture among muffin cups, pouring mixture over crusts and filling each nearly full.
• Bake in preheated oven 20 – 25 minutes until centers only jiggle slightly (cupcakes will become puffed and domed but will sink when removed from oven).
• Allow to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.
• Serve with strawberry sauce.

For the Strawberry Sauce:

• Add strawberries, 1 Tbsp sugar and 2 tsp lemon juice to a food processor and blend until pureed. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.