The Glamorous Life: Cooking with Glam Jo

Seriously, what's better than Cupcakes?

Cheesecake.

And what's better than Cheesecake?

Cheesecake Cupcakes.

And what's better than Cheesecake Cupcakes?

Christmas Cheesecake Cupcakes.

Here we go.

First, start with your ingrediants.

Ingrediants:
3 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs (yes, FOUR!)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping:
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Kiwi and strawberries

Preheat oven to 325F.

Line 24 regular muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.

Pretty!

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until very smooth.

Dig out mixer that has been in the back of a cabinet since last baking season. Notice that beaters are missing. Search HIGH AND LOW for beaters. Huff and puff. Stomp foot. Shake fist at the fact that you were not at the Oprah Favorite Things show where everyone got a fabulous new KitchenAid Mixer of Dreams. Continue looking for lost beaters. Continue being irritated. Wonder if mixer will work as is.

Think that no, it won't.

Dig out random hand mixer that always seems to disappoint. Try it on the cream cheese. Fail miserably.

Decide to mix by hand and pure gumption.

Open a Diet Root Beer as this is going to take a while.

Add the sugar and mix well. By hand since, well, you know.

Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Rub burning biceps.

While stirring, watch old episodes of Project Runway that Tivo thought you might like. Episodes that aired BCT - Before Cable and Tivo.

Look away from Heidi and Tim long enough to realize that the batter, she is mixed.

Fill the cups about half full with batter. Do not drip any batter on the pan.

Woops.

Bake for about 25 minutes. Eat a Christmas cookie as all this work has made you hungry.

Mmmmm.

Make the topping: Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla and stir well with a metal spoon or spatula. Thank Paula Dean for, at this point, not suggesting the mixer again.

Spoon about 2 teaspoons on top of each Christmas Cheesecake Cupcake and return to the oven for 5 minutes to glaze.

Remove the Christmas Cheesecake Cupcakes from teh oven. When they can be handled safely, remove them from the muffin pan and let cool completely on wire racks. When completely cool, place them in plastic containers with lids and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, decorate with slivers of freshly cut fruit.