Born to Bake: Cheesecake cupcakes

Posted by Grace Harman

As a New Yorker, I love good cheesecake. For me, it's right up there with bagels and take-out Chinese food as a Manhattan dietary staple. The only issue is that cheesecake can be really, truly terrible. A bad crust, runny consistency or overly sour filling can easily ruin what is otherwise an awesome dessert.

In a fit of homesickness spurred by my parent's visit during Celebration Weekend, I decided I wanted to try my hand at cheesecake. The only issue is that I tend to give everything I bake away to friends to avoid massive weight gain, and cheesecake isn't particularly portable, making it difficult to share with lots of people. Fortunately, a fairly obvious solution presented itself: cheesecake cupcakes.

Unlike the chocolate cheesecake cupcakes I made a few weeks ago, which were simply outfitted with a cheesecake center, these cupcakes are actual miniature cheesecakes. Topped with chocolate ganache, these treats not only look classy, but also are wonderfully delicious.

Ingredients:

? 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

? 2 tablespoons white sugar

? 2 tablespoons melted butter

? 16 ounces cream cheese

? 1/2 cup white sugar

? 1 tablespoon white vinegar

? 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

? 2 eggs

Directions:
? Preheat oven to 325