An Edible Mosaic™

Everyday Fare With Extraordinary Flair

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • about
    • faq
    • legal
  • recipes
  • books
  • portfolio
  • my other blog
  • press
  • work with me
  • contact

Home » Recipes » Cherry-Vanilla Cheese Danish Cupcakes

Cherry-Vanilla Cheese Danish Cupcakes

July 14, 2011 by Faith 61 Comments

Cherry-Vanilla Cheese Danish Cupcakes

Fresh cherries have flooded the markets and of course I wasted no time buying my share, which basically means that every time I’m out and about I pick up another bag (or two). 

Cherry-Vanilla Cheese Danish Cupcakes 2

(I’ve even been looking for errands to run just to have an excuse to go out and pick up some more…definitely a windfall for Mike, who not only loves cherries, but now views standing in lines at the post office and bank a thing of the past…at least until the end of cherry season. ;) )

So what do I do with all my loot?, you might be wondering.

In addition to eating fresh cherries by the fistful, I like to toss them into salads, roasted vegetables, or marinades, and also use them as a topping for ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, or oatmeal. They are also delicious added to a smoothie or even a bowl of cereal…and of course they’re a beautiful addition to baked goods.

Cherry-Vanilla Cheese Danish Cupcakes 3

My inspiration for these little lovelies was a combination of cheese Danish pastries and my strawberry shortcake cupcakes. For these cupcakes, I decided to add sour cream to the cake batter (which was a slight adaptation of my recipe for classic yellow cake), and I filled the cupcakes with cream cheese and homemade cherry filling. I used fresh cherries to make the filling, but any kind of berries you like would be delicious; in a time crunch, store-bought preserves would also work well.

If you haven’t tried sour cream cake I definitely recommend it…it’s gloriously rich and moist with a very tender crumb. You could even make this cake on its own and glaze it with a simple vanilla glaze (recipe below), or serve it topped with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Cherry-Vanilla Cheese Danish Cupcakes 4

Print
Cherry-Vanilla Cheese Danish Cupcakes
Prep time:  20 mins
Cook time:  24 mins
Total time:  44 mins
Yield: About 18 cupcakes
 
Ingredients
Cherry Filling (Makes about 1⅓ cups total):
  • 1 lb (about 3 cups) fresh or frozen sweet black cherries, pitted and halved
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with ¼ cup cold water to form a slurry
Sour Cream Cake:
  • 1½ cups white sugar
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup light sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 oz cream cheese (low-fat is fine), cut into 18 pieces
Vanilla Glaze:
  • ½ cup (2 oz) powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. For the cherry filling, in a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the cherries, water, and sugar (uncovered) until the cherries are softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cornstarch slurry and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly (the mixture will thicken). Cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge while you make the cupcakes (it will thicken more as it cools).
  2. For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin tray with paper liners. With a handheld electric beater, beat together the sugar and oil, and then cream in eggs until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually the stir dry ingredients into wet until just combined, making sure not to over-mix.
  3. Fill each cupcake liner with about ¼ cup of batter (they should be about ¾ full). Add a scant tablespoon of cherry filling to each, and then add one piece of cream cheese, pushing it down slightly.
  4. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean or with just a couple crumbs.
  5. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the tray and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before glazing.
  6. For the glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients, then drizzle over the cooled cupcakes.
  7. Let the glaze set before serving.
3.5.3251

Cherry-Vanilla Cheese Danish Cupcakes 5

Related

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged: Cheese Danishes, Cherry Filling, Cherry Season, Cupcakes, Desserts, Fresh Cherries, Recipes, Sour Cream Cake, Summer Foods, Vanilla, Vanilla Glaze

Comments

  1. Erica says

    July 14, 2011 at 5:12 pm

    I just saw in our circular that cherries were on sale and got super excited! These cupcakes look amazing- the middle looks just ridiculous good! Hooray for summer fruit

    Reply
  2. Nourhan @ Miss Anthropist's Kitchen says

    July 14, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    Your cupcakes look perfect! I love them :D

    Reply
  3. aipi says

    July 14, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    So beautiful and truly summery! Your cupcakes are perfect!
    US Masala

    Reply
  4. Astra Libris says

    July 14, 2011 at 6:52 pm

    Oh my goodness, these are BRILLIANT!! Zach loves cheese danishes – I can’t wait to surprise him with these! Thank you for the gorgeous recipe! :-)

    Reply
  5. kankana says

    July 14, 2011 at 10:09 pm

    I am eating cherries non stop these days .. they taste like candy! This cupcake looks so deliciously perfect.

    Reply
  6. Veronica says

    July 14, 2011 at 10:30 pm

    I still need to make your yellow cake! Man, this really grabs me b/c I too love cherries and I love cheese danish and cake just as much. So you pretty much combined three of my favorite things. Woot! And your photography continually astounds me. Can I ask what camera you use? Did you have to take classes to use it so well?

    Reply
    • admin says

      July 15, 2011 at 7:41 am

      Veronica, You’re so sweet, thanks so much! I use a Nikon D7000 (you can read more about it on my FAQ page). I had no formal training…I’ve read tons of books, got some informal training from friends, and have been practicing my little heart out, lol! :)

      Reply
  7. [email protected] says

    July 14, 2011 at 10:30 pm

    Oh my they look wonderful. I am a cherry maniac too. not quite here yet in my area

    Reply
  8. Carolyn Jung says

    July 14, 2011 at 10:39 pm

    The best invention ever! Part muffin, part danish — and all delicious to the last bite.

    Reply
  9. Geni says

    July 14, 2011 at 10:42 pm

    Oh these cupcakes look fab. Love the flavor combination!

    Reply
  10. Rosa says

    July 15, 2011 at 1:26 am

    Those cupcakes must be divine! A nice combination of flavors.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  11. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

    July 15, 2011 at 2:16 am

    What a clever idea Faith and you can really see how good these are from the slice open photo. BTW love the new redesign! I meant to mention it before! :)

    Reply
  12. Nicole @ itsfeedingtimeatthezoo says

    July 15, 2011 at 4:08 am

    Wow, these look excellent. I really love the cherry cheese combo, and in a muffin it’s bound to be delicious.

    Reply
  13. Nicole, RD says

    July 15, 2011 at 6:04 am

    Faith, your photos…ah! I can taste them with my eyes alone! But, I still think I have to make these…and then take all but 2 or 3 to work. They look amazingly dangerous! ;)

    Reply
  14. Jay says

    July 15, 2011 at 6:42 am

    wat a brilliant idea…this looks super delicious..
    Tasty Appetite

    Reply
  15. Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook says

    July 15, 2011 at 6:51 am

    Those are the prettiest cupcakes. Too late for me, my kids polished off all the cherries! They’d rather have have cupcakes though, I’m sure!

    Reply
  16. Lucy says

    July 15, 2011 at 6:55 am

    I love this idea – the flavour combination sounds so summery. They look so pretty too!

    Reply
  17. Sasha @ The Procrastobaker says

    July 15, 2011 at 7:36 am

    These are adorable! And that filling with the cream cheese….my gawwdddd, it looks addicting! Lovely little summery recipe and gorgeous photos too :)

    Reply
  18. Kelsey @ Snacking Squirrel says

    July 15, 2011 at 7:45 am

    i love the dribble of icing spilling over the sides mmmm <3

    Reply
  19. Heavenly Housewife says

    July 15, 2011 at 7:51 am

    Danish cupcakes??? What a stunning and delicious idea. You always come up with the most clever treats!
    *kisses* HH

    Reply
  20. Dana says

    July 15, 2011 at 7:52 am

    I love how these look like “ordinary” cupcakes, and when you bite inside, you find a delicious sounding filling! Great idea!

    Reply
  21. marla {family fresh cooking} says

    July 15, 2011 at 8:01 am

    These cupcakes look amazing. Beautiful photos too!

    Reply
  22. Jess Wakasugi says

    July 15, 2011 at 8:49 am

    Oh my. That last picture did me in. These so incredible, I can’t wait to try these out!!

    In your directions, there’s no mention of putting another little helping of the batter over the filling, does the filling just sink and the batter bakes over it or can you still see the filling once they’re done? If that’s not confusing… ;)

    Reply
    • admin says

      July 15, 2011 at 12:33 pm

      Jess, There’s no need to put batter over the filling — for each cupcake, I spooned the cherry filling on top in the center, then pushed the piece of Neufchatel down slightly into the cherry filling. The cherry filling and cheese sink to the center of the cupcake (take a look at the picture where I cut a cupcake in half) and cause a slight indentation on top (which I think makes them look like real cheese Danishes), but the cherries peek out a little bit on top. I added a picture to the bottom of this post so you can see the top of the cupcakes better. Hope that helps! :)

      Reply
  23. Pachecopatty says

    July 15, 2011 at 2:22 pm

    Faith your pictures are stunning,I love the blue and white with the cherry filled cupcakes, just drop dead gorgeous. The recipe sounds wonderful, very creative and fun to put together. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful weekend;-)

    Reply
  24. MaryMoh says

    July 15, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    I always love fruits in cakes. Your cupcakes look very delicious. I have not tried making cakes with cherries, only with blueberries. I need to try next time. Thank very much for sharing. Hope you had a great day.

    Reply
  25. Stevie says

    July 15, 2011 at 3:13 pm

    I really love traditional “American Danish” so I’ve no doubt that I’d eat the entire tray of these cherry cupcakes. Your blog is getting bad for my health ;) Have a super weekend.

    Reply
  26. Ameena says

    July 15, 2011 at 4:05 pm

    That picture of the inside of the cupcake? My gosh…it looks amazing! Great job Faith!

    Reply
  27. kalli says

    July 15, 2011 at 7:06 pm

    oh faith! these are amazing. i am drooling over that side view :)

    Reply
  28. [email protected] says

    July 15, 2011 at 8:38 pm

    These look perfect! Love the filling..beautiful pictures Faith..all of them :) Have a fab weekend!

    Reply
  29. Reeni says

    July 15, 2011 at 8:53 pm

    You are a girl after my very own heart! These are divine and luscious little treats Faith! Wish I had one…or two. Have a great weekend!

    Reply
  30. cooking varieties( wan maznah) says

    July 15, 2011 at 9:57 pm

    hi faith, superb ingredients- strawberries and cheese- love them all.

    your cup cakes look so swweeet and delicious with the blue cups complimenting the cakes..have a nice day dear.

    Reply
  31. Maria @ Scandifoodie says

    July 16, 2011 at 12:53 am

    They are gorgeous!

    Reply
  32. Joanne says

    July 16, 2011 at 5:22 am

    I remember in middle school when I got to go around to the corner store to buy breakfast without my mom’s supervision, I would always spring for a danish. However, I imagine they are much better with such luscious cherries and in cupcake form. Just gorgeous!

    Reply
  33. Sanjeeta kk says

    July 16, 2011 at 6:19 am

    How delightful and gorgeous these cup cakes look. And the contrast of the muffin liners and the red cherries is marvelous, Faith.

    Reply
  34. Hannah says

    July 16, 2011 at 9:43 am

    Mmm… That dripping icing looks like it’s just waiting to be licked up! So delicious, and as much as I love making pastries, cupcakes are definitely easier, so this sounds like the best of all worlds.

    Reply
  35. sheila @ Elements says

    July 16, 2011 at 1:49 pm

    Your pictures are making my mouth water…especially the one that’s cut open and I can see all that ooey gooey yumminess inside. *sigh* If only I could keep myself from eating all the cherries I buy so I can make this! :)

    Reply
  36. shooting star says

    July 16, 2011 at 2:54 pm

    its 1 AM at night here and my stomach’s growling…and looking at the yummy pics…am like wanting to eat up my screen!!!!

    Reply
  37. Heather @ Get Healthy With Heather says

    July 16, 2011 at 4:47 pm

    These look so good Faith! I want the cream filling!!

    Reply
  38. Simply Life says

    July 16, 2011 at 5:37 pm

    Oh these are ADORABLE! What a fun way to eat cherries!

    Reply
  39. Nina says

    July 16, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    Faith, these are amazing! Brilliant idea to make these into cupcakes!

    Reply
  40. Raina says

    July 16, 2011 at 7:28 pm

    Yum! My husband would go nuts for these (me too), cherries in a sour cream cupcake with cheese filling…..you are so smart:)

    Reply
  41. Barbara says

    July 17, 2011 at 6:12 am

    Any cake with sour cream in it is so moist! Cherries abound right now..I’m loving them. Such a pain to pit, though. :)
    This looks marvelous, Faith. And presented beautifully!

    Reply
  42. Susan says

    July 17, 2011 at 11:05 am

    I’ve been eating cherries by the fist-full too and I’m eating some right now!

    What a delicious idea for cupcakes, Faith!

    Reply
  43. Victoria says

    July 17, 2011 at 5:12 pm

    Oooooh, this takes filled cupcakes to a whole other level! It sounded really tasty, and then I saw the cross-section of your cupcake and was just floored. I love danishes, and am thrilled that you used them as your inspiration for this dessert. Perfect for summer :) Serious happiness, haha.

    Reply
  44. Monet says

    July 17, 2011 at 8:22 pm

    What a lovely summer dessert. Aren’t cherries just tasting wonderful right now? Thank you for sharing another beautiful recipe. I hope you had a lovely weekend, and I hope you have an even lovelier week. Many blessings and much love…

    Reply
  45. Anna Johnston says

    July 17, 2011 at 10:00 pm

    Honey, please, pretty please with a cherry on top send me a bunch of these, they look gorgeous. Oh how I wish it were cherry season here. Hope u had a wonderful weekend sweet girl. :)

    Reply
  46. Krystal says

    July 17, 2011 at 11:13 pm

    I’m glad this recipe has a ton of ingredients or i would memorize it and make it way too often. Cheese danish are the only pastries i love. I’ve never found a simple recipe, which is probably part of what makes them so good, but keeps me from making them constantly and gaining who knows at least 40lbs to start =) Thanks for this recipe. After this baby girl comes I’ll be buckled down the winter with RSV and i will need some fun and for me challenging recipes to keep me busy. Thanks!

    Reply
  47. Alli says

    July 17, 2011 at 11:17 pm

    Those pictures are amazing. So homey and beautiful. I can’t get enough cherries either. These look insane. My husband loves cheese Danish so this is a treat I will be making.

    Reply
  48. Ambreen says

    July 18, 2011 at 5:58 am

    Ah, they looks so tempting. Love to have a bite.

    Reply
  49. Jenn L @ Peas and Crayons says

    July 18, 2011 at 11:26 am

    all you’re missing is my address… so you can send me one =)

    Reply
  50. [email protected] says

    July 18, 2011 at 4:09 pm

    These cupcakes look fantastic. I am going to make them.

    Reply
  51. Megan'sCookin' says

    July 18, 2011 at 5:07 pm

    I love these. A little bit of portion control baked right in. They sound amazing!

    Reply
  52. Betty @ scrambled hen fruit says

    July 18, 2011 at 10:33 pm

    I’ve been the same way with the cherries in my local market. They’ve been on sale this week, and I’ve been back three times for them! These little cupcakes look like a beautiful and delicious way to use some of my hoarded gems! :)

    Reply
  53. Magic of Spice says

    July 19, 2011 at 1:28 pm

    Oh heavens! I do love cherry season and these look fantastic with that filling spilling out…I want!

    Reply
  54. grace says

    July 20, 2011 at 3:07 am

    these sure do look fantastic. the little dip in the middle is just calling for a dollop of a)more filling, or b)whipped cream. :)

    Reply
    • admin says

      July 20, 2011 at 7:36 pm

      Grace, I agree…or c) a fresh cherry! :)

      Reply
  55. Lucia says

    July 21, 2011 at 8:44 am

    Oh dear! This is AWESOME! That tender, sweet center. A bit like a heart. I love cherries too. Have you ever made cherry clafoutis? You can find the recipe on my blog, if you’d love to try: http://www.sugarandink.net/2011/06/cherry-clafoutis-having-time-to-have.html

    Reply
  56. LeQuan says

    July 27, 2011 at 1:15 am

    Oh my, these look so moist and delicious, Faith! I love that you get a cream cheese surprise when you bit into a cupcake. I’d love one of these right about now.

    Reply
  57. [email protected] and spice says

    August 3, 2011 at 7:30 am

    i’m so glad I just found your blog.. i have a bag of tart cherries in the freezer i’m looking to use up! should i make any changes to the recipe if using tart cherries instead?

    Reply
    • admin says

      August 4, 2011 at 5:41 pm

      Sarah, I haven’t made these with tart cherries so I can’t say for sure…I would just taste the filling and add a touch more sugar if you feel like it isn’t sweet enough (but not too much, there is a sweet glaze that goes on top). Hope you enjoy them! :)

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe:  


Hello! I’m Faith and I write An Edible Mosaic. This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics, with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. I focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home. Welcome to my mosaic of recipes.

Subscribe

email

Subscribe to have new posts delivered to your email inbox:

rss

Subscribe to the RSS feed in the reader of your choice.

Feedburner Bloglovin'

Languages

archives

categories

meet faith

I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

faith's book

on instagram

anediblemosaic

❄️Buffalo-born + raised
☀️Florida-based
🍴Food✈️Travel📝Musings
📷Food stylist + photographer
📚Cookbook author
✨Lover of vintage things + good coffee

Instagram post 2191875618324833933_193133428 It’s tradition. @laraclevenger and I meet up, we have way too much fun working, and we eat allll the Indian food. 🙃 #lovemyjob #indianfood #shotoniphone
Instagram post 2188737294404226253_193133428 Rome, one of the oldest souls I’ve ever known. #🇮🇹 #roma #italia #wanderlust #travelgram #traveldeeper #instatravel #prettyplaces #map_of_italy #map_of_europe #earthpix #lonelyplanet #exploreyourworld #spqr #latergram #blackandwhite #iphonography #shotoniphone #photography
Instagram post 2188013014389581388_193133428 When you want alllll the cranberry bliss, but without the gluten or loads of sugar. 🙌🏻 Inspired by Starbucks cranberry bliss bars, my #paleo cranberry bliss cake is an oldie but a goodie on my other website #HealthySweetEats! It's festive and perfect for a weekend holiday baking project. ❤️ . . https://www.healthysweeteats.com/cranberry-bliss-cake-inspired-by-starbucks-cranberry-bliss-bars/ . . #glutenfree #starbuckscopycat #bakingseason #holidaybaking #f52grams #f52food #thekitchn #makesmewhole @thefeedfeed #feedfeed #cranberrybliss #cranberryblissbar #beautifulcuisines #hautecuisines #huffposttaste #yahoofood #bhgfood #eeeeeats #holidayfood #festivefood #happyfriday
Instagram post 2186463100185874499_193133428 Like velvet. 🧡 . . Swirls of Butternut Squash Puree with Fontina Cheese, Fresh Thyme, and Brown Butter, and there are no words. 😭🤯🤩🤤 Search "butternut puree" on An Edible Mosaic for the recipe --> https://www.anediblemosaic.com/butternut-squash-puree-with-fontina-cheese-fresh-thyme-and-brown-butter/ . . #thanksgiving2019 #thanksgiving #thanksgivingdinner #sidedish #f52grams #f52food #makesmewhole @thefeedfeed #feedfeed #eatyourveggies #beautifulcuisines #foodstyling #foodphotography #onmytable #eeeeeats
Instagram post 2185880916279076048_193133428 I asked my dad what he wanted me to bring for Thanksgiving. I know my uncle is making the turkey 🦃🍽 (and probably no less than 10 side dishes lol), so I wasn't at all surprised when dad said everything is all set. I told him there's no way I'm coming empty handed (and the veggie soup I made for his freezer stash doesn't count bc it's not Thanksgiving-related!), and he told me to bring "one of those crazy keto desserts" I make. 🤣 (Apparently my crazy keto dessert reputation precedes me. 🤷🏼‍♀️😆👏🏻) I'm going to try to find time to whip up something low carb, or I might go with this crowd-pleaser that makes enough to feed a crowd! If you've never made slab pie, the beauty of it is that it makes a huge pie 🥧 with minimal extra effort than what it takes to make a normal pie. (Side Note: Don't fear the pie! If even I can make a pastry crust, you definitely can. 😘) And I don't know about you, but when I indulge in pie, it's apple for me alllll the way. 🍎🍏 . . Search "apple slab pie" on An Edible Mosaic for the recipe --> https://www.anediblemosaic.com/apple-slab-pie-with-nutty-oat-crumble-topping/ . . #applepie #thanksgivingfood #thanksgivingdessert #fallfoods #thisisfall #f52grams #f52food @thefeefeed #feedfeed #thekitchn #huffposttaste #onmytable #eeeeeats #saveur #bonappetit #foodphotography #piegram
Instagram post 2185059598599567110_193133428 #ad #tillamook_partner Not gonna lie, one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving dinner is the leftovers. 🙌🏻 Turkey 🦃 + cranberry sauce + fried sage 🌿 + lots of cheese 🧀 and really, this doesn’t even feel like leftovers. 💁🏼‍♀️ @tillamook . https://www.anediblemosaic.com/grilled-cheese-thanksgiving-leftovers-sandwich/ . #TogetherWithTillamook #thanksgiving #thanksgivingleftovers #grilledcheese #grilledcheesesandwich #cheeselover #cheeselife #f52grams #huffposttaste #feedfeed #eeeeeats
Load More...
Home | About | FAQ | Legal | Recipes | Books | Portfolio | My Other Blog | Press | Work with Me | Contact

Copyright © 2019 | Faith Gorsky, An Edible Mosaic™ | All Rights Reserved Design by Deluxe Designs

This site uses cookies to ensure the best user experience possible.AcceptNo ThanksPrivacy policy
Revoke cookies