Gingerbread Cheesecake Cupcakes

Gingersnap Layer:

• 1 1/2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• pinch of salt

Cupcakes:

• 1 box Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups of homemade or store bought cheesecake filling
• 2 cans Duncan Hines Frosting Creations Frosting Starter
• 2 packets Duncan Hines Frosting Creations Gingerbread Flavor Mix

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place cupcake liners in muffin pans.
2. Crush gingersnap cookies into crumbs (using a food processor or a rolling pin) until you have 1 1/2 cups.
3. Combine gingersnap crumbs, butter and salt and mix with a fork until combined.
4. By rounded teaspoons spoon the gingersnap mixture into the cupcake liners. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten and pack the crumbs.
5. Bake gingersnap crusts for 5-7 minutes until golden. Let cool.
6. Prepare cake batter as directed on package.
7. Pour batter into cupcake liners, on top of crust, filling the liners no more than 2/3 full.
8. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcakes comes out clean.
9. Let cupcakes cool for 5 minutes, then turn out of pans to finish cooling.
10. Cut a cone-shaped piece from middle of cupcake. Do not cut through gingersnap layer.
11. Put cheesecake filling in a piping bag or plastic bag with the corner cut off and squeeze filling into hollow of cupcake.
12. Pour 1 packet of Duncan Hines® Frosting Creations™ Gingerbread Flavor Mix into 1 can of Duncan Hines® Frosting Creations™ Frosting Starter. Stir until evenly blended. Repeat with second can and packet.
13. 12. Frost cupcakes with the Gingerbread frosting you just created.