#568 - Cream Cheese Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 - 8oz. Philly cream cheese (softened)
1 1/4 cup white sugar
5 eggs
1 3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream
2 TBSP any flavor jam (strawberry, raspberry, etc.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners (about 24). In a mixer add cream cheese, 1 cup of the white sugar and the eggs--beat. Add 1 1/2 tsp. of the vanilla--beat. Pour batter into cupcake liners to about 2/3 full. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. While baking, prepare the topping: in a bowl using a spoon mix the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the white sugar, and 1/4 tsp. of the vanilla--stir well. Remove cupcakes from the oven--the centers of the cupcakes will have fallen. Fill each center with the sour cream topping and put 1/4 tsp. of jam of the top center of each cupcake. Return to oven and bake for 5 more minutes at the same temperature.

#541 - Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 18.25oz. Duncan Hines white cake mix
1 1/3 + 1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup sour cream
2 egg whites
1 egg
2 TBSP canola oil
2 TBSP grated lemon zest
12 TBSP white sugar
2 TBSP meringue powder

In a mixer add cake mix, 1 1/3 cups water, sour cream, 2 egg whites, 1 egg, and canola oil--beat for 30 seconds until mixed, then beat on high for 2 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in lemon zest using a spoon. Fill muffin tins with cupcake liners and fill each 2/3 full of batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 28-30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool 10 minutes and remove cupcakes from tins--cool completely. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Place all of the cooled cupcakes on cookie sheets. In a mixer add 6 TBSP white sugar, meringue powder and 1/2 cup water--beat on medium speed 5-7 minutes until peaks form. Add remaining 6 TBSP white sugar and beat another 5 minutes until stiff. Spread cupcakes with the meringue mixture and bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

#531 - Shoo Fly Cupcakes

(by Aunt Hazel [Haupt] Herman)

4 cups of sifted flour (measure before sifting)
2 cups of Domino Sugar (one white and one dark brown)
1 tsp salt
1 cup Crisco shortening - Mix these ingredients by hand until they get crumby. Take out 1 cup of this crumb mixture and save to top the cupcakes.

For the liquid part of the cake:
1 cup Brer Rabbit Green Label baking molasses
2 cups warm water
1 TBSP Arm and Hammer baking soda

Stir the molasses, warm water and baking soda by hand with a spoon. Stir crumb mixture into the liquid. Place cupcake liners into cupcake pans and fill each 2/3 full with the molasses batter. Sprinkle a few of the reserved crumbs on the top of each cupcake. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Test if they're done using a toothpick. Poke a cupcake with toothpick after 25 minutes. If toothpick comes out clean, they're done. If it doesn't come out clean, leave them in a few more minutes and retest. Hint: bake just 1 cupcake as a test to see how long it takes in your oven.

#229 - Oreo Cheesecakes

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 - 8oz. packages softened Philly cream cheese
3/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 package Oreo cookies

Place cupcake liners into muffin tins. Place one Oreo cookie on the bottom of each cupcake liner. In a mixer, beat the cream cheese, add the sugar and mix until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each egg. Mix until smooth. Spoon batter over each Oreo cookie in the cupcake liners until they are each 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the center of each cupcake is almost set. Remove from oven, cool completely and refrigerate overnight before serving. They can be drizzled with melted chocolate or Cool Whip if desired. Keep refrigerated.