Raspberry Sugar Cookie Cupcakes

Raspberry Sugar Cookie Cupcakes

So here's the deal, guys. I made these cupcakes with the frosting from the original recipe, but they don't need it. In fact, I think it kind of detracts from the overall cupcake. So don't worry about frosting these. Buy or make some whipped cream (it takes three minutes, a standing mixer, a cup of heavy cream, and a tablespoon of sugar) and top it on.

Cupcakes:

3 egg whites

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/3 cup flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) + 1 tbsp soft butter

1/2 cup raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Whisk together egg whites, milk, and vanilla.

In a large bowl, sift together flour and baking powder, then whisk in sugar. Add the butter and beat until combined (the mixture will form fine crumbs, like sand). Add in the egg white mixture gradually.

When ingredients are all combined, the dough will be slightly sticky and thick, like biscuit dough.

Fill cupcake tins about 2/3 full. Bake for 13 minutes, turn, bake 13 minutes. Let cool.

Makes about 12.

When the cupcakes are cool, core them gently using a serrated blade or apple corer. Spoon jam into the hole. Cover with whipped cream.

Frosting:

Seriously, don't make the frosting. But if you want it for another recipe someday (and it is pretty tasty, just not with these cupcakes), here it is:

(don't make it)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup raspberry jam

2-3 cups xxx sugar

Beat butter until fluffy. Add jam. Beat in sugar until you reach the desired consistency; add cream to thin if necessary.

Recipe adapted from The Baking Robot.

(Cupcakes or cookies? It's a tough choice. Click click click)

Apricot-Glazed Black and White Cheesecakes

Apricot-Glazed Black and White Cheesecakes

If you're ever in need of a cupcake recipe that's quick and basically as easy as falling off a log, cheesecake is the way to go. It has approximately five ingredients, and it seriously takes very little effort, and everyone always acts so amazed that you did it. Great ego boost for no sweat.

Crust:

1 cup crushed chocolate cookies (she recommends Nabisco's, but my grocery didn't have any, so I wound up using chocolate graham. I've seen someone else say that oreos work if you scrape out the filling)

1/4 cup sugar

4 tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix the sugar and the crushed cookies -- they can be more or less fine depending on how you like the texture -- then stir in the melted butter. Press about 1 tbsp into the bottom of each cupcake liner. You can also vary the thickness depending on how much crust you like in your cheesecake.

Bake about 7 minutes. Let cool.

Cupcakes:

1 lb (2 8 oz boxes) cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/c cup sour cream

Reduce the oven temp to 275 F.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, then the vanilla. Drizzle the eggs in a little at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure they're well mixed in. Add sour cream and mix well.

Fill cups almost full, then bake 10 minutes, turn, bake 10 minutes. The sides will be set but the middles will be a little wobbly, which tricks you into thinking you haven't baked them long enough. BUT YOU HAVE.

Makes 24.

To finish:

2/3 cup apricot jam

When the cupcakes are cool -- you can refrigerate them overnight for best results -- top them by warming the jam in a saucepan or the microwave until it's kind of liquidy. The recipe recommends straining it, but if you prefer a little pulp, don't bother. Spoon around 2 tsp onto the top of each cheesecake.

I used a homemade jam that my mother canned, and didn't strain it (I'm lazy); it looked pretty and tasted even better. If you don't like apricot jam, substitute one that you do like -- the cheesecake has no real flavor in and of itself, so you can modify the topping however you want. A cherry jam with big chunks in it sounds pretty super.

Or, if you're not a fruit person, you can always use fudge sauce or caramel. Cheesecake is great because it's so versatile!

Now if only I actually liked it. :(

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes.