Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes

By beltranm

Ingredients

• Filling:
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cupcakes:
• 1 package (18.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 28 vanilla wafers
• Topping:
• Vegetable oil spray for misting a spoon
• 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Details

Servings 28

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 28cupcake cups with paper lines. Set the pans aside.
2. Prepare the filling: Place the cream cheese in a small mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low speed until it has softened, 15 seconds. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla and continue to beat on low until the ingredients just come together, 1 minute. Set aside.
3. Prepare the cupcake batter: Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs and almond extract in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed.
4. Place 1 vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cupcake liner. Spoon or scoop 1/4 cup batter on top of each vanilla wafer. gently dollop 1 heaping teaspoon of filling on top of each cupcake. the cup will be nearly full. Do not shake the pans. Place the pans in the oven.
5. Bake until the cupcakes until they are golden and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 18 to 20 minutes. Removed the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake lines, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before topping.
6. Mist a teaspoon with vegetable oil spray and use this to press down on the cupcake and create an indentation. Place a heaping teaspoon of cherry pie filling in the well of each cupcake. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Store these cupcakes in a cake saver or under a glass dome at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze them, wrapped in aluminum foil or in a cake saver, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cupcakes overnight in the refrigerator before serving.