Gingerbread Cheesecake Cupcake Recipe

Photo courtesy of Duncan Hines

During the holiday season, I'm learning to be grateful for my friends, family, experiences, and love. With that gratefulness comes the need to share, and for me sharing means cupcakes. This holiday season share not only presents but your presence- and make yummy gingerbread cheesecake cupcakes together. This recipe combines spice cake, cheesecake filling, and a gingersnap crust. It's perfect for a holiday party or a quick pick me up for loved ones. Enjoy Cupcake Lovers!

For the original recipe, click here.

Gingersnap Layer:

• 1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• pinch of salt

Cupcakes:

• 1 box Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups of homemade or store bought cheesecake filling
• 2 cans Duncan Hines Frosting Creations Frosting Starter
• 2 packets Duncan Hines Frosting Creations Gingerbread Flavor Mix

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cupcake liners in muffin pans.
2. Crush gingersnap cookies into crumbs (using a food processor or a rolling pin) until you have 1 1/2 cups.
3. Combine gingersnap crumbs, butter and salt and mix with a fork until combined.
4. By rounded teaspoons spoon the gingersnap mixture into the cupcake liners. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten and pack the crumbs.
5. Bake gingersnap crusts for 5-7 minutes until golden. Let cool.
6. Prepare cake batter as directed on package.
7. Pour batter into cupcake liners, on top of crust, filling the liners no more than 2/3 full.
8. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcakes comes out clean.
9. Let cupcakes cool for 5 minutes, then turn out of pans to finish cooling.
10. Cut a cone-shaped piece from middle of cupcake. Do not cut through gingersnap layer.
11. Put cheesecake filling in a piping bag or plastic bag with the corner cut off and squeeze filling into hollow of cupcake.
12. Pour 1 packet of Duncan Hines® Frosting Creations™ Gingerbread Flavor Mix into 1 can of Duncan Hines® Frosting Creations™ Frosting Starter. Stir until evenly blended. Repeat with second can and packet.
13. 12. Frost cupcakes with the Gingerbread frosting you just created.

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Cupcake Project #29: Mini Strawberry Cupcakes

Photo courtesy of Duncan Hines 

Strawberry cupcakes are my absolute favorite! And as the self-proclaimed Queen of the fake and bake (boxed cake mix with homemade frosting), this summertime recipe is just what I needed. The recipe is a Duncan Hines original; they also happen to me my preferred cake mix of choice. The recipe pays close attention to details by requiring woodstick for stems and sesame seeds for strawberry seeds- too cute. Expect to yield 48 of these strawberry minis. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 box (18.25) Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Strawberry Supreme Cake Mix
• 1 can plus 1 cup  Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
• Red paste food coloring
• 48 thin chocolate cookie crisps (100 calorie Oreo Crisps)
• 12 spearmint leaves
• 12 wheat stickes or thin pretzels (Pringles)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 48 mini muffin cups with red mini foil liners. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until cupcakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.
Tint the vanilla frosting red with the red paste food coloring.

Spread a small dot of red frosting on top of the cupcakes and press a thin chocolate cookie, allowing cookie to overhang cupcake slightly at a point. 

Spread some of the remaining red frosting on top of the cookie and cupcake to mound slightly and make smooth. Sprinkle the top with the sesame seeds. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and frosting.

Roll out the spearmint leaves in the sugar making sure to keep them covered with sugar to prevent sticking. Cut out green tops of strawberries using the template and some scissors. Cut the wheat sticks into 1 1/2 inch long pieces. Poke a hole in the center of the green top and insert the wheat stick. Press the other end of the wheat stick into the wide end of the top of the cupcake to finish the strawberry. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.

The original recipe can be found here.

                                        

Duncan Hines Frosting Creations

Photo Courtesy of Duncan Hines/Pinnacle Foods Group, LLC

Okay...okay...I know what you are saying to yourself, "The Critic HATES boxed-cake mix!!" And I do- when someone is making me pay for cupcakes that I could have made myself with the help of Misters Duncan and Hines. However, seeing as though The Critic is an avid purveyor of boxed cake mixes,  and several of my readers are culinary-challenged, I thought that this was a cool new product to share with you all. 


Frosting Creations is a new product from Duncan Hines. Basically, you purchase a starter kit which includes a tub of plain frosting and several flavor packets that you stir in to make a particular creation. Flavor packets include: strawberry, mint chocolate chip, bubble gum, cherry vanilla, caramel, white chocolate raspberry and cinnamon roll to name a few. Click here to see a video of how it works! Their website also features some cool recipes!


Happy Eating!