Baked Cheese Cupcakes
These Baked Cheese Cupcakes are creamy and light with just the right balance of sweet & tart. Luscious and smooth aka the style of NY cheesecake. Perfectly rich, velvety and delicious.
Servings: 12 cheese cupcakes
Ingredients
Biscuit base
- 240 digestive biscuits (~16 cookies)
- 110 g melted butter (unsalted)
Cheesecake batter
- 400 g cream cheese
- 200 g plain yogurt (unsweetened)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Blitz digestives until fine crumbs. Add melted butter to the biscuit crumbs and mix until the texture is like wet sand.
- Line the cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Fill two tbsp of digestives in each cupcake liner as the base. Compact the base well with a small glass. Chill in the fridge whilst making the cheese filling.
- Whisk the softened cream cheese, yogurt, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth and velvety. Then add in the lemon juice and whisk until just combined. Beat the eggs lightly and add in to the cheese mixture. Whisk on Low speed until *just combined*. Do not over-mix at this stage or the cheesecake will crack when it’s baked.
- Sieve in the flour. Switching to a spatula, gently mix in the flour until just incorporated. Spoon the cream cheese mixture onto the chilled cupcake base. Using a pastry brush, gently fill out each liner and level the surface.
- Bake @ 150C for ~ 17 minutes and no more (the bigger cupcakes baked for ~ 20min). Open the oven door and leave the Baked Cheese Cupcakes in there for 5 minutes before taking them out. This is to prevent the cupcakes from cracking due to any change in temperature.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cooled, tuck into the refrigerator and chill overnight or for ~5 hours. Just before serving, decorate the Baked Cheese Cupcakes with fruits of your choice and enjoy.
Video
Notes
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#1 Use ingredients at room temperature: Cold ingredients can cause the batter to become lumpy or curdled, especially when mixing with other ingredients like eggs. Room temperature cream cheese is suitably soft and easily mixed to a smooth, uniform batter. Eggs @ room temperature also blend more easily, ensuring even incorporation, giving a uniform and beautifully baked good. Therefore use ingredients @room temperature for a smooth creamy cheesecake.
#2 Adding eggs: It is important not to over-mix when the eggs are added or the cheese cupcakes will tend to crack when it is baked. Therefore once the eggs are added, whisk gently until just combined.
#3 Fill and level: These Baked Cheese Cupcakes are cooked at a low temperature without a water bath. As we are using low heat, the cheese cupcakes will not spread out much and will bake pretty much as is; therefore I like to to fill up the sides using a pastry brush and level off for a smooth even bake.
#4 Make sure not to over-bake: The cupcakes may look a little under-baked @ 17 min but that is fine, the texture will be perfect once they are chilled. Leave the cupcakes in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes with the door slightly ajar before taking them out. This is to avoid sudden temperature change which can cause the cheesecake to shrink and crack.
#5 Make by hand: This is an easy recipe which can also be completely done by hand. The digestive biscuit base can be simply crumbled in a ziploc bag using a rolling pin. Using ingredients well softened at room temperature will also ensure a smooth even cream cheese batter easily whisked by hand.
#6 Make ahead and storage: these Baked Cheese Cupcakes can be made one day ahead to give the cheesecake sufficient time to set nicely in the refrigerator. Just before serving, decorate with berries or fruits of your preference and enjoy. These Baked Cheese Cupcakes can keep for 3 to 4 days well sealed and chilled.