These Cheesecake Black Bottom Chocolate Cupcakes are about to make you extremely popular. With a cream cheese filling hiding inside a luscious chocolate cake and topped with a swirl of cream cheese butter frosting. What’s not to love?
My Inspiration for these black bottom chocolate cupcakes:
It all started when we were invited over for Greg’s birthday party. He requested that I bring my Chili. Thank you Greg, such a compliment. But I felt the need to also contribute something a little more birthday-y. Cupcakes were on my mind, since I couldn’t steer myself towards making a cake.
So, a hunting I went for a cupcake recipe that would be adult appealing and kid friendly. I turned to one of my favorite baking sites, That Skinny Chick Can Bake. Liz is an expert baker with tons of reliable recipes. Of course, she offered many cupcake recipes, but once I laid eyes on this chocolate indulgence, I couldn’t resist. This is her mom’s recipe from the 70’s and I can see why it’s still wildly popular.
What Makes This Chocolate Cupcake Recipe So Good?
Several things caught my eye about this recipe. One was the vinegar in the batter. The first chocolate cake I ever made was in 4-H as a child. A Devil’s Food Cake that called for vinegar. A curious ingredient, don’t you think? Actually the interaction between the vinegar and baking soda makes for a cake that is quite airy and moist. It’s a baking technique that was born from the Great Depression era when ingredients like milk, butter and eggs were scarce and often not affordable.
The combination of ingredients in this batter returns a rich, moist beautiful chocolate cupcake. Tucked inside the cupcake is a cream cheese, egg, sugar and chocolate chip filling. Reminiscent of cheesecake in texture and flavor, it’s a great little surprise when you bite into the cupcake. And topped with cream cheese butter frosting = perfection.
I am not a frosting fan. I’m the one who picks it off a cake. Unless it’s cream cheese frosting. Be still my heart when I’ve got a slice of carrot cake slathered with that stuff. From what I’ve read, these cupcakes are usually not frosted, but Liz used cream cheese frosting…how could I resist?
Cupcake Crazed – What’s Your Favorite Recipe?
I’m somewhat new to the idea of being a good baker, thank you very much Culinary School and all of those days spent in the Pastry Kitchen to help boost my confidence. And, I missed the cupcake craze a few years ago. But I feel my own craze on the way. Not a crazy craze with wild decorations, but one that reminds me of simpler cupcakes from my childhood. I love the magic of these beautiful little mini cakes and I’m thinking these Root Beer Float Cupcakes are up next. And if you’re looking for more recipes you won’t want to miss this one for Red Velvet Cupcakes.
What’s your go-to cupcake recipe?
Again, thanks to Liz for this recipe.
I hope you give this cheesecake chocolate cupcake recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give it a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.
And if you have a favorite cheesecake chocolate cupcake recipe, please let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
Cheesecake Black Bottom Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
- For The Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
- For The Cupcakes
- 3 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup cocoa
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar white or cider
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- For The Frosting
- 1/2 cup 1 stick butter, at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 1/2-3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners (you may need a third muffin tin because this batch can make up to 28 cupcakes). Preheat oven to 350º.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, egg and salt until creamy. Mix in chocolate chips by hand. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla and beat on medium speed with hand mixer for 2 minutes, scraping sides and bottom of bowl, until combined.
- Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with cake batter. Spoon 1 level tablespoon of cream cheese into the center of each cupcake.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool.
- Make frosting by beating the butter and cream cheese until smooth. add 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until combined. If your frosting is too thin, add up to another 1/2 cup powdered sugar.
- Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes.
