Week 11: Blackberry Swirl Cheesecake Cupcakes

Finally... this post will get me all caught up so I can try to stay on top of things!

So, last week we got together with some family members we don't get to see very often. Most of them live nearby, but we're all busy with work, family, etc... Anyway, I made a dessert to share with everyone and as my cousins are tasting my latest tasty treat, one of them mentions a blog that she heard about. Her description of the blog sounded strangely familiar. Then I realized she was talking about me! People are talking about my blog!

Who are you people? I'd love to hear from you... maybe make some suggestions. What would you like me to make? If I make something you request, I could probably arrange to deliver it to you. I'm just sayin'. Or you could just tell me how amazing and inspiring and beautiful I am. I know, there's no picture of me on here. You can just imagine. :)

Okay, enough silliness. Let's get down to business. As mentioned in the previous post, I am among the minority in America who doesn't like cream cheese. It tastes sour and icky. But who am I to keep cheesecake from the masses? Plus, I'd just picked blackberries a couple days before, and they were begging to be baked into something. Thus, I bring you blackberry swirl cheesecake cupcakes. Oh, and once again there are very few pictures in this post. I promise to take more next time!

Blackberry Swirl Cheesecake Cupcakes

Makes 32 (random!)

Recipe from Annie's Eats

For the crust:

1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

3 Tbsp. sugar

For the topping:

6 oz. fresh blackberries (the recipe I worked from called for raspberries-- any fresh berry would work well)

2 Tbsp. sugar

For the filling:

2 lbs. (32 oz.) cream cheese @ room temperature

1 1/2 c. sugar

pinch of salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 eggs @ room temperature

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Stir together with a fork until well blended and all the dry ingredients are moistened. Press 1 Tbsp. of the mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner. A small drinking glass works well to press the crust down evenly. Bake until just set, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pans to a cooling rack.

To make the blackberry puree, combine the berries and sugar in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Press through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.

To make the cheesecake, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy. Blend in the sugar until smooth. Mix in the salt and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

To assemble, spoon 3 Tbsp. of the cheesecake batter over the crust in each cupcake liner. Dot 1/2 tsp. of the berry puree in a few dots over the cheesecake filling. Use a toothpick or wooden skewer to lightly swirl and create a marbled effect.

Bake until the filling is set, rotating the pans halfway through baking (total baking time is approximately 22 minutes). They will look puffed up at first, but will return to normal quickly. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

My cheesecakes came out of the oven looking quite puffy, then some of them caved in. I have since learned that there are two reasons why that may have happened:

1) I didn't bake them long enough. They got rave reviews, which leads me to believe that even if they were slightly underbaked, they were still edible.

2) I should have baked them in a water bath. I have no excuses, other than the fact that the commentary on the recipe I used said that a water bath is unnecessary for these cheesecakes. Plus, I've baked full-size cheesecakes in the past without a water bath, and they all turned out fine. Whatever. I'm told these tasted great, even if they were a little caved in.

Make these with some fresh summer berries! Let me know how it turns out. :)

Special thanks to my sister Bobbi for her superb hand/cheesecake modeling skills. :)