Image by The Real Estreya
Here’s the recipe for the Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes that Stasia made for my birthday. It was originally from “Cupcakes! from the Cake Doctor” by Anne Byrn but Stasia has adapted it somewhat. I’ve included both versions below.
Filling
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese (room temp)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Cupcakes:
1 box cherry chip cake mix (original recipe calls for yellow)
1 box instant white chocolate pudding (original recipe calls for vanilla)
1 cup whole milk (original recipe notes that the extra fat helps in this recipe but that you can use two-percent or any milk)
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp almond extract
28 vanilla wafers (ummm, I guess we skip this part)
Topping:
vegetable spray oil for misting a spoon
1 jar cherry preserves (original recipe calls for 1 can cherry pie filling)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1. Place a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees; line 28 cupcake cups with paper liners.
2. Prepare filling: place cream cheese in small mixing bowl and blend on low until soft (15 sec); add sugar, egg, vanilla and beat until just blended (1 min). Set filling aside.
3. Prepare cupcake batter: place cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs and almond extract in large mixing bowl. Blend on low for 30 seconds. Scrape sides, increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more.
4. (Original recipe says: “Place one vanilla wafer in bottom of each cupcake liner” I guess Stasia skips this part as I’ve never seen any Nilla Wafers around the house!) Spoon 1/4 cup batter on top of each wafer. Gently dollop one heaping teaspoon of filling on top. Do not shake pans. Place in oven.
5. Bake until golden and spring back when lightly pressed with finger: 18 to 20 min. Remove from pans and cool 5 min on wire racks. (Original recipe has you run a dinner knife around edges of cupcake liners and removing cakes from liners. We are not nearly so fancy here. 
6. Mist a teaspoon with vegetable oil spray; press down on cupcake tops to form indent. Fill with heaping teaspoon of cherry preserves/pie filling. Dust with confectioners sugar. Enjoy!
Store room temp for two days; refrigerate for one week; freeze for six months.
