Cheese Cake Cupcakes

Here is my attempt at what was supposed to be strawberry cheesecake cupcakes, but turned out to be vastly different tasting because of the unearthly rice flower that was used in replacement of regular flower, but hey, that's gluten free for you...I also didn't have any vanilla extract for the frosting and this recipe called for a bit of vanilla so that could have added to the difference in taste as well... The frosting was a bit pungent without the sweetness of the vanilla because most of the frosting was made out of sour foods like creme cheese and well, sour creme. The cupcakes tasted more like a strawberry shortcake than cheesecake cupcakes. A little warming, the first bight is very dry so your going to want to keep eating bights because they will start tasting more moisture filled the more you eat.  Tell this to whom ever you give these too, and it will make them eat an entire shortcake! Problem solved. 

In case you want to try this recipe here is what you need to gather up:

4 tablespoons butter @ room temp

5 Tablespoons sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup of "self rising" flower (what ever self rising means)

1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of milk

for icing:

3 oz. white chocolate chopped

3 oz. creme cheese

6 table spoons of creme fraich or sour creme

1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

5 tablespoons of powdered sugar

fresh strawberries 

makes 12 cupcakes but mine were quite small

Preheat the oven to 350 and line muffin pan with paper liners. Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy, then beat in the egg, a little at a time. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold in, then stir in the vanilla extract and milk.Spoon the mixture into muffin cups. Bake for about 10 minutes until risen and golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To decorate, check that none of the cupcakes have risen above the rim of the paper liners. If any have, carefully slice off the top using a serrated knife to create a flat surface. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water or in a microwave, then set aside to cool slightly (make sure the microwave is on low power, or you'll burn the chocolate). Beat the cream cheese, creme fraiche, vanilla and powdered sugar together in a separate bowl, then beat in the melted chocolate. When cupcakes are cool, smooth the cream cheese mixture over the cupcakes, up to the rim of the paper liners, then chill for 1 1/2 hours until set (the dark chocolate mixture didn't need to set). Decorate with fresh strawberries and serve.

Cupcakes, by Susannah Blake

Here's what they are supposed to look like...Word of advice, don't compare yours to these unless your Martha Stewart.