How to make cream cheese cupcakes
Cream cheese cupcakes are made with tangy cream cheese mixed into the batter for an extra moist cupcake. Topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting, they are the perfect treat for celebrating any occasion. Try topping them with my strawberry cream cheese frosting for a fruity twist.
You may also like my caramel apple cupcakes and my strawberry cream cheese cupcakes recipes. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my cupcakes recipes in one place.
Perfect for spring or Easter weekend, these sweet little cupcakes are covered with festive sprinkles to make them extra cheery.
Cream cheese cupcakes
The addition of cream cheese to baked goods is a great way to add flavor and texture. It gives the cupcakes a bit more body and a little zing.
I’ve used it in pound cake recipes for years.
These cupcakes are a snap to make and the best part is the ingredient list – you likely have most of it, if not all of it, already.
How to make cream cheese cupcakes
Making cupcakes is a delightfully simple endeavor. One thing I do recommend for baking is a scale. Weighing flour is much more accurate than using measuring cups and will give you more consistent results.
First, whisk dry ingredients together. Then, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar with an electric hand mixer.
After the egg and vanilla go in, finish with adding the dry and wet ingredients to the bowl. Use a medium cookie scoop to add the batter to the lined cupcake pan.
The best icing for these cupcakes is obviously cream cheese frosting. It’s quick and simple, made with only a handful of ingredients.
Let’s frost and decorate these cupcakes
I like a large star tip to frost cupcakes. It makes lovely, big swirls of frosting. It’s my go – to and even if your swirls aren’t perfect, they’ll still look pretty with this tip.
To fill a disposable pastry bag with frosting, I find it easiest to stand it up inside of a large jar or container.
Fold the top third of the bag down, then fill with frosting. This helps to keep the bag clean so you don’t get frosting all over your hands.
I use large piping bags because it gives me more room to squeeze the frosting down and get a better grip on the bag for better control. Once you have the bag filled, give it a twist to force the frosting down into the tip.
Apply firm, even pressure when frosting the cupcakes. If you get an air bubble, just go back over it with more frosting.
And now, the sprinkles – because they tend to go everywhere, I put the cupcakes inside of a bowl when I’m decorating to contain the mess. One with a flat bottom and tall sides works perfectly.
Place the decorated cupcakes onto a rack set inside of a sheet pan to catch any rogue sprinkles that escape.
These cupcakes are perfect for any occasion – Easter, birthdays, Mother’s Day, or best of all – just because. Simple and delicious, I hope they become a new favorite that you make again and again.
More cream cheese desserts
- Peach pound cake
- Strawberry cream cheese cupcakes
- Blueberry pound cake
- Strawberry cream cheese icing
- No bake blueberry cheesecake bars
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Cream Cheese Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 c. all-purpose flour 4.25 oz. or 120 grams
- 1/2 c. cake flour 2.1 oz. or 60 grams
- 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 6 tbsp. unsalted butter softened
- 2 oz. cream cheese softened
- 1 c. sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 c. whole milk
- 50 ml. water just under 1/4 cup
For the frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese 1 block
- 8 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 stick
- 4 cups. powdered sugar
- pinch sea salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla or lemon juice for a little zing!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4
- Line a cupcake pan with paper liners and set aside.
- Whisk all purpose and cake flours, salt and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar together for 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Add egg, then vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined, then add milk and mix until just combined. Finish with remaining flour mixture.
- Add water and mix until fully incorporated, but do not overmix.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (or 1/4 cup measure), portion cupcake batter into papers. Fill about 2/3 full.
- Bake for 18 – 22 minutes, until a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Remove cupcakes from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- While cupcakes are cooling, make frosting: Cream butter and cream cheese together with an electric hand mixer until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add vanilla or lemon juice and a pinch of salt, mix to combine.
- Add powdered sugar in 2 batches, thoroughly mixing between additions and whipping for 30 seconds after second addition to make it light and fluffy.
- Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe frosting onto cupcakes.
- Cover with sprinkles, if desired. (I made my own blend using sprinkles from my collection)
Notes
- Frosting can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before frosting cupcakes.
- Baking time may vary by a few minutes, every oven is different. If your oven runs hot, check them after 15 minutes.
- To make your own sprinkle blend – gather a few different shapes, sizes and colors. Use large sanding sugars as well as nonpareils and jimmies. Use colors that complement each other. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
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