Caramel Cheesecake Gingerbread Cupcakes

Whoa! that's a long name. Anyways, I wanted to make a holiday cupcake and fill it with something yummy. I was thinking gingerbread cake and I came across this recipe for chevre cheesecake and chevre cream cheese buttercream and I have to say they turned out sooooo good. The goat cheese is not as "tangy" as cream cheese, which was really nice and the caramel sauce added a nice touch of sweetness to the cheesecake filling. The gingerbread cake was not too spicy, like gingerbread can sometimes be and you get a hint of chocolate from the cocoa powder. The combination is fantastic.

Gingerbread Cupcakes
recipe courtesy of Joyful Abode

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup hot milk (140 degrees)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.

3. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Add the molasses, egg and egg yolk and mix until combined.

5. In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

6. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot milk. Set aside.

7. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.

8. Stir in the hot milk mixture.

9. Pour batter into prepared baking tin and bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes.

10. Allow to cool completely before filling and frosting.

Chevre Cheesecake
recipe courtesy of Fields of Cake

Ingredients

1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt
10 1/2 ounces fresh plain goat cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Grease a 6 inch round pan with butter or cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl whisk together egg, egg yolk, sugar and salt until well combined, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the goat cheese and whisk until smooth.

5. Add creme fraiche or sour cream and whisk for 1 minute. Do not overmix or the cheesecake will have a grainy texture.

6. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan in a roasting pan and fill with water until it reaches half way on the cheese cake pan, so about 3 inches.

7. Bake until the center is set (about 40 minutes).

8. Remove cheesecake and allow to cool. Transfer to the refrigerator and let chill overnight.

When your ready to fill the cupcakes remove the cheesecake from the pan and into a medium size bowl. Add about 1 cup of warm caramel dip and mix until filling is smooth. Make sure your caramel dip is not to hot, you don't want to melt the cheesecake. Add filling to a piping bag fitted with Wilton tip 230 and gently place the tip inside the cupcake. You can practice with how much filling you like to add and don't worry what the top of the cupcake looks like, you're going to cover over them with buttercream. Refrigerate cupcakes so filling can set.

Chevre Cream Cheese Buttcream
recipe courtesy of Fields of Cake

Ingredients

7 ounces fresh plain goat cheese, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, beat all ingredients together until light and fluffy.

2. Add filling to a piping bag fitted with a round or star shaped tip or frost cupcakes with a small angled spatula.

3. Place frosted cupcakes in the fridge so the buttercream can set before you decorate.

4. Decorate cupcakes with gingerbread cookies, cookie crumbles or white sanding sugar.

Enjoy!