A mini batch of lemon cupcakes with cream cheese filling

I really enjoy making cakes, but the problem with baking a whole cake is that then you have to eat it, which can take a while when you live in an apartment with only one other person.  I've tried to solve this problem by making tiny cakes (seen previously in my recipe for chocolate beet cake).  I have a whole backlog of tiny cake recipes and photos, which I'll eventually turn into an entry which will pretty much be an ode to the 6"x2" round Magic Line cake pan.

Two 6" round layers are equivalent to one 9" round layer, which is still a decent amount of cake.  So this time, when feeling the baking inspiration, I decided to make a tiny batch of cupcakes.  The cake recipe is based on the yellow cake recipe from The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.  The cream cheese filling is based on my vague memory of the last time I made black bottom cupcakes.

Cream cheese-filled lemon cupcakes
(makes a small batch, approximately 6 cupcakes)

Cupcakes:

combine in a medium bowl:
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

combine in a small bowl or measuring cup:
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add 4 Tablespoons of very soft butter and half of the milk & egg mixture to the flour.  Stir to moisten the flour.  Add the rest of the liquid and beat by hand for a minute or two.

Stir in the zest from one lemon.

Filling:

3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg white
1 Tablespoon sugar

Beat together with a fork until smooth.

Fill the cupcakes halfway, then drop on a heaping spoonful of cream cheese.  Top off with batter, to a total of 2/3 full, trying to cover up the filling as much as possible.

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

My cupcakes ended up slightly overfilled, with the tops spilling over the edges; it might be better to make 7 or 8 cupcakes instead of 6, but I suppose it depends on the exact size of your pan.  These cupcakes aren't overly sweet--anyone with a real sweet tooth might prefer them frosted.  And really, you could make them into any other flavor of cupcake, as well--just replace the lemon zest with some other sort of fruit zest or extract.