RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE CUPCAKES WITH A SHORTBREAD BASE 
What you will need:
The base..
100 grams butter or margarine, softened
1 cup plain flour
50 grams sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
The filling…
2 cups SR flour
200 grams butter/margarine, room temperature
1 cup  caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cream cheese, whipped
2 eggs whites
1 cup raspeberries, roughly chopped
The icing…
200 grams cream cheese
1 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon strawberry essence
(Optional) Raspberry Sauce…
100 grams raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
What to do:
Preheat the oven to moderate and prepare your muffin tray/s.
Make the base..
Rub the butter into the flour.
Gradually add the sugar and vanilla and knead until a soft dough
Press a small amount of the dough into the base of each of lined muffin tray holes, about 1cm thick.
Pierce each base with a fork and bake for around 5 minutes or until the dough starts to very slightly brown.
Make the filling…
Beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and eggs.
Continue beating until well combined.
Add in half the flour and using a wooden spoon lightly fold.
Add the whipped cream cheese and continue folding until well combined.
Add in the last of the flour gradually, then fold in the raspberries.
Spoon the mixture on top of the semi cooked bases and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a skewer just comes out clean.
Allow the cupcakes to cool before icing.
Make the icing…
Using an electric mixture whip together the cream cheese, icing sugar and strawberry essence until light and fluffy.
Spoon or pipe the icing on top of the cooled cupcakes and if desired drizzle with raspberry sauce.
Make the raspberry sauce (Optional)
In a blender blend together your raspberries and water until smooth.
Pour the blended berries into a saucepan and add the sugar.
On a low heat cook until the sauce thickens and the sugar fully dissolves.
Allow to cool before drizzling over the cupcakes.
Enjoy.
Makes about 15
