If you love strawberry cheesecake, then you’re going to love these Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins! Kids will think they’re eating cupcakes! Make them for an occasion, or just because you need an excuse to bake! And if strawberry is not your favorite choice, you can easily substitute with raspberry, blueberry, cherry, peach or any other seedless jam that suits your fancy. The fruit and cheese combination is a sure-shot winner, and the warm and moist texture of each muffin, topped with a dollop of butter, will surely make any moment extra special.[Recipe & photo courtesy of Donna Diegel from Corkscrews & Spatulas]
Ingredients
Makes 20 – 28 muffins depending on how big your pans are
5 1/2 cups King Arthur unbleached white flour, sifted
2 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cups melted butter
1 tsp lemon peel, grated
1/2 tsp almond extract
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup seedless strawberry jam
1/4 cup sugar
Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 24 regular size muffin pans with vegetable spray or use paper muffin cups.
In a large mixing bowl, blend flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, brown sugar, melted butter, lemon peel and almond extract until mixed well and set aside.
Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together in a small bowl. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and mix only until blended. Do not over mix, it makes tough muffins.
Spoon about 1/3 muffin batter in pans, plop about a tablespoon of cream cheese batter on top and then a teaspoon of jam on top of that. Add enough muffin batter to fill cups 3/4 full. Sprinkle a little sugar on top of muffins before baking.
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350° depending on your oven. The muffins should be light golden brown and spring back when you touch them.
Remove from pans and cool completely before storing them in a tight fitting container.
Yummy strawberry cheesecake muffins Mansi!