Strawberry Champagne Cheesecake Cupcakes

Every year for my anniversary, you can count on me making something sweet for us. Two things are a must: #1 - Make something different from previous years and #2 - Make sure it'll knock my hubby's socks off! This time, I made Strawberry Champagne & Cheesecake Cupcakes and topped them with an extra little treat…a chocolate truffle.

This year marks a significant milestone for us. On the 14th, we'll have been married 25 years!!! Crazy right, especially when you consider I’m still only 29 ;) In our 25 years of being together, we accumulated three kids. I still refer to them as kids or "kiddos" even though they're in their twenties already and I guess as a parent, I'll always see them as such. Kinda like I'll always be their ma 😃

This year, our kids decided to get rid of us by sending us away to one of our favorite places…Disney World!! Eeep {Insert Happy Dance} Woop-Woop It's been a few years since we last went to this happy place and I must admit, I'm nervously excited about this trip. I'm happy to be with my hubby alone because are going at our own pace and it'll be like the honeymoon we never had. Plus, we love road trips so we're driving to Orlando instead of flying like we did last time and of course, it'll be less of an expense so that's a bonus! On the opposite end, I'm a mom, which means I worry about not being around if something happens while we're away. But…I'M. SO. EXCITED to be out and about with my hubby!

Okay, now that I've pretty much bored you with our plans, it's time to get back to these Strawberry Champagne & Cheesecake Cupcakes which are so NOT boring. They are moist, tender and oh sooo creamy. A blush champagne infused the strawberry cake, which starts with a boxed cake mix for convenience. The cheesecake filling is tangy yet balances perfectly with the frosting and it's made from my cheesecake recipe, only crust-less to keep it smooth and dreamy! As for the truffles, use whatever brand you love to help keep things simple.

Adding champagne to these little delights was a no-brainer since we are celebrating and we can't celebrate something wonderful without a little bit of bubbly! As for the truffles, a little extra indulgence was just…necessary. I don't know about you but I always associate anniversaries with champagne, chocolate and strawberries because they're so romantic and perfect for special occasions…like this one.

If you're not a fan of truffles, feel free to omit or even replace with a chocolate covered strawberry…YUM!! One of those would also fit this cupcake combination perfectly and it stays within the flavor theme here. Nowadays, it's easy to make them yourself or even find them at your local grocery store.

The Extras

To make these cupcakes suit your style, use whatever toppings you like and/or have on hand. I used red jimmies, gold sanding sugar and white pearl sprinkles. Some I drizzled with melted semi sweet chocolate, some not. I also used three different truffles: chocolate, hazelnut and pistachio but in hindsight, I think I preferred the plain chocolate ones. My favorite are the Godiva truffles but I used some from a set I got on sale during the holidays and truthfully, Godiva win's hands-down.

The Cheesecake

The cheesecake is homemade and I made it “crustless” for use as a filling. If you are nervous about making a cheesecake from scratch, don't be as it's not that difficult. But if it's still not something you want to tackle just yet, feel free to use a store bought cheesecake (just scrape it from the crust) or you can buy a box mix (like the no bake). Either one of those would work as well. If you decide to make my version, you can make it the night before and then allow it to cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Yes it's a little more work but it'll be a cinch and it'll make these cupcakes all the more special, I promise.

The cheesecake makes more than enough for the filling so you have a choice to make. Once it's baked, only use half of it when creaming and enjoy the rest in it's "cake" form if you dare. Or cream the entire cake and refrigerate unused for up to 3 days. Orrrr…use the leftover cake to make cheesecake pops/balls! Can you say "Yes, please!"? Okay, okay, okay…let's cut to the chase and get you the recipes!

Ingredients

Strawberry Cupcakes

• 1 box Strawberry Cake Mix (I used Duncan Hines)
• 1 cup Flour, all purpose
• 3/4 cup Sugar, granulated
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 4 Egg Whites
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 8 oz Sour Cream
• 1 1/3 cup Pink Champagne (blush)

Cheesecake Filling

• 3 8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1 cup Sugar, granulated
• 3 Eggs, room temperature and separated
• 2 lemons Zest of

Frosting

• 8 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 stick Unsalted Butter
• 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 2 lbs Powdered Sugar
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1-2 tsp Milk (or Pink Champagne), if needed

Instructions

Cheesecake Filling

1. Arrange and center oven racks, placing them one right under the other. Spray a 9 x 13" baking pan with non stick and set aside. Fill another baking dish half way up with hot water and place centered on the bottom centered oven rack Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). 
2. Place cream cheese blocks in a mixing bowl. Beat on high until smooth and creamy. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl and continue mixing on low speed. Add sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest and continue mixing until well blended. Add egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. After all yolks have been added, scrape bowl.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Scoop half of the egg whites into the cream cheese bowl and gently fold into the mixture. Add the remaining egg whites and repeat folding process.
4. Pour mixture in sprayed baking dish. Evenly smooth mixture with a spoon or spatula. Place on top centered oven rack and bake for 50-60 minutes. Carefully remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, cover and refrigerate until needed.
5. Once ready for use, place cheesecake in a mixing bowl and whip until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag or sandwich bag and snip the bag or one of the corners. 

Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F) and place liners in cupcake pan. Combine dry cake mix, flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine egg whites, sour cream, vanilla, oil and champagne. Mix well. Slowly begin adding dry ingredients and continue mixing on low speed until well combined. Scrap bottom and sides of bowl and continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Once cooled, use a teaspoon to remove some cake from the top of each cupcake, making a well for filling.

Frosting

1. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add butter and continue mixing until well combined and creamy. Add vanilla, salt and beat for another minute. With mixer on low, begin adding powdered sugar slowly. Stop and scrape bowl. Resume mixing on medium high until smooth and creamy. If mixture is too thick, add one tsp of milk (or champagne) at a time until desired consistency is obtained.
2. Transfer frosting to a piping bag that has been fitted with desired piping tip.

Assembly

1. Pipe cheesecake filling into the well of the cupcake. Pipe frosting over cupcake, covering the cheesecake. Decorate as desired with sprinkles and/or melted chocolate. Top with Truffle or Chocolate Strawberry.
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

Another Option

If you'd like to make something a little simpler, take a look at my Chocolate Strawberry Rice Krispy Treats that I made last year. They are absolutely delicious and fun to make, even for the kiddos. Plus, you can have a glass of Pink Champagne to sip on as you snack on these cute little treats!

Cori - xoxo