Cranberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Via krissys-creations.com

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Makes: 24 cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, at Room Temperature

8 ounces Cream Cheese, Softened

2 cups Sugar

3 Eggs

¼ teaspoon Almond Extract

1 ½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

2 ½ cups Cake Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

½ cup Almond Milk (Normal milk should work just fine too)

2 cups Fresh Cranberries, tossed in ½ tablespoon of Flour

White Chocolate Mousse Filling*

1/2 packet Gelatin (4 ounces)

1/8 cup of Water, to dissolve gelatin in

6 ounces of White Chocolate, Chopped

1 ¼ cups Heavy Cream, Divided

*This makes ½ a recipe than what I normally make.  If you want, you can make a full recipe by doubling the above recipe and saving the other half for later use :).

16 ounces Cream Cheese, Softened

½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, at Room Temperature

2 cups Confectioners Sugar

2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

2 tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup

Fresh Cranberries, for Topping

Begin by making the white chocolate mousse. Pour the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top.  Let it sit for 5 minutes until the gelatin has completely dissolved into the water.

Place the chopped white chocolate in a food processor or a blender and pulse until finely chopped.  Then in a small saucepan, heat 1/4 of the heavy cream over medium-high heat.  When the mixture reaches a boil reduce the heat to medium and add the gelatin. Stir until the gelatin completely melts.

Pour the heated heavy cream and gelatin mixture over the chopped white chocolate in the food processor.  Immediately begin pulsing until the mixture is completely smooth.  Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set in the refrigerator to chill for 5 minutes, no longer.  Keep your eye on the mixture and don’t forget about it in the refrigerator.  You don’t want it to harden.

While the mixture is in the refrigerator, quickly whip up the remaining 1cup of heavy cream.  To whip the heavy cream, pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with he whisk attachment. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 3-5 minutes.

Remove the mixture from the refrigerator and carefully fold in the whipped cream.  Transfer the mousse to a sealed container and place in the refrigerator to set and chill completely, about 1 hour.

While the white chocolate mousse is setting up in the refrigerator, make the cranberry cream cheese cupcakes.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 2 cupcake pans with 24 baking liners.  Set aside until needed.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the sugar and continue to beat until fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition.  Scrape down the bowl and mix in the almond and vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, combine the cake flour, salt, and baking powder.  With the mixer running on low, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk (starting and ending with the flour).

In a small bowl, toss the 1 tablespoon of flour with the cranberries.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and carefully fold in the cranberries with a spatula.

Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter among each baking liner.  Bake in the oven until the tops of the cake begin to turn a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a few cupcakes come out clean, about 25-35 minutes.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter.  Add the confectioners sugar in 2 additions, slowly mixing in-between each addition.  Mix in the vanilla and maple syrup, and whisk until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

To fill the cupcakes, cut/poke a hole in the middle of each cupcake.  I use an apple corer; I think it’s the easiest way that creates the best results.  If you do not own a apple corer, you can use a small knife to cut a hole in the middle of the cupcake.

Stir the white chocolate mousse and then place the filling in a piping bag.  Pipe small amounts of the filling into the center of each hole.

To frost the cupcakes, place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip (I used a large open star tip).  Pipe the frosting in a circular motion onto each cupcake.  Top each cupcake with 2 fresh cranberries.  You can add more or less if you wish.

Serve and enjoy!

These cupcakes can last about 1 week in a sealed container.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Cake adapted from Confessions of a Foodie Bride.  White Chocolate Mousse from Graces Sweet Life.  Frosting recipe from Annie Eats who adapted in from Confections of a Foodie Bride.