Better Than Lemon Square: Easy Filipino Cheese Cupcake Recipe

Today was the most relaxing Saturday I have had in a long time. I slept in, shared a quiet breakfast with hubby, tackled the vacuuming and then finally found myself in the kitchen. No pressure, no fancy equipment; just a spoon, a fork and a desire to recreate a childhood favourite.

The perfect result of a manual mix: a tender crumb beneath a lacy, buttery Jarlsberg crust.

For me, cheese cupcakes mean one thing: the pre-packaged Lemon Square Cheese Cakes tucked into my school bag for baon or enjoyed as the afternoon snack. They were sweet, salty and always hit the spot. But today, I wanted something that felt a little more "grown-up" to pair with my afternoon tea.

The Great Topping Revelation

I ran a little experiment with this batch: half with the cheese topping and half without. I actually tried the plain one first, and to my surprise, it was too sweet! Without that salty punch of the cheese crown, the condensed milk and sweetener felt overwhelming.

The second one, crowned with toasted Jarlsberg, was so much better. The nuttiness of the cheese is the perfect foil to the sweetness of the cake. It is not just a garnish; it is the secret to the whole flavour profile. I cannot believe how much of a difference that salty contrast makes.

A full freshly baked tray, showcasing my Saturday experiment: six cupcakes with golden Jarlsberg crown, and six without. The difference is all about the balance.

The Modern Twist

• The Cheese: I swapped the traditional cheddar for Jarlsberg because I have it in the fridge. Its buttery, mild profile creates a gorgeous lacy crown in the oven.
• The Sweetener: To keep things a bit lighter, I used a 1:1 sugar-free sweetener instead of granulated sugar.
• The "Manual" Mixer: I made these entirely by hand. A sturdy spoon for creaming the butter and a simple fork for beating the eggs. It is a slower, more tactile way to bake that fit the mood of the day perfectly.

The Recipe

Adapted from Kawaling Pinoy

Prep Time: 15 mins	Cook Time: 25 mins
Oven: 170°C (Convection)	Yield: 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients (In Grams)

• 220g All-purpose flour, sifted
• 8g Baking powder
• 1.5g Salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 115g Butter, very soft
• 100g Sweetener (1:1 sugar replacement)
• 2 Large eggs (approx. 100g)
• 395g Sweetened condensed milk (one 300ml can)
• 60g Jarlsberg cheese, shredded (for the batter)
• 115g Jarlsberg cheese, shredded (for the topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven (I used a Porter & Charles wall oven) to 170°C on the True Convection setting. Line a 12-hole muffin pan.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, use the back of a large spoon to cream the softened butter and sweetener until the mixture is smooth and pale.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating vigorously with a fork until well combined and emulsified.
5. Alternating between the two, add the flour mixture in thirds and the condensed milk in halves. Stir gently with your spoon until just combined. Fold in the 60g of shredded cheese.
6. Fill the liners 3/4 full. Top generously with the remaining Jarlsberg.
7. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are a deep golden brown and the centres spring back when touched.

We paired these treats with some jasmine black tea, served in the cute little tea set we picked up in Chinatown, and it truly hit the spot. It was such a simple, lovely way to enjoy the afternoon while watching the Whitecaps game at home—and they even pulled off a 2-nil win! Thank God for quiet, cozy moments like these.