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Decadent chocolate cream cheese cupcakes (also known as black bottom cupcakes) are a fudgy, moist chocolate cake base filled with a chocolate chip cream cheese filling. Every bite is filled with chocolatey and creamy, tangy delight!
Celebrate with Me: Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes
I made and posted this chocolate cream cheese cupcake recipe on my 25th birthday 12 years ago. I feel like that was a lifetime ago, and it honestly was. It had just been a year of starting the blog and I was recalling a specific black bottom cupcake recipe my friend had given me a few years back. These were it! They are very memorable because of the chocolate cake base that’s extremely tender and moist. When you take a bite of the cupcake, the center of it with the chocolate chip cream cheese just has this creamy, tangy bite that balances out the sweetness of the chocolate cupcake.
Chocolate cream cheese cupcakes are so simple to make and they’re the best of both worlds with chocolate and cream cheese all in one! The chocolate cake base is light, fluffy, and airy while the center where the cream cheese filling sits is dense and luscious. Trust me when I say everyone will love these black bottom cupcakes with cream cheese filling!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- In cupcake and muffin making world, it is usually suggested to fill muffin cups 2/3 of the way full. In the case of black bottom cupcakes, you’ll want to make sure you fill it 1/3 of the way full and then add the cream cheese filling in the center. If you fill it too much, the chocolate batter will “swallow” the cream cheese filling and you won’t get that nice cream cheese topping that you typically see in black bottom cupcakes.
- Use muffin/cupcake liners and lightly spray them with cooking oil just to make doubly sure that they’ll release easily. I don’t suggest baking these cupcakes without liners.
- Use dark cocoa powder if you want a dark chocolate cake base. It will be slightly richer and not as sweet, but still so good.
- Add a splash of espresso to the batter to really bring out the chocolate.
Storage Instructions
Since these cupcakes have a cream cheese filling, I would recommend allowing them to cool to room temperature then storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you want to eat one, bring it to room temperature then enjoy!
Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes (Black Bottom)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 8 ounces (227 g) plain cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup (236 g) mini semisweet chocolate chips
For the cupcakes:
- 3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- ⅔ cup (57 g) cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (473 ml) water
- ⅔ cup (158 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Prepare muffin pan by lining with muffin liners and lightly spraying the liners with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a bowl with a hand mixer), beat together the ingredients for the filling (cream cheese, sugar, egg, and salt) until light and fluffy. Gently fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula. Set aside.8 ounces (227 g) plain cream cheese, 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar, 1 egg, Pinch of salt, 1 cup (236 g) mini semisweet chocolate chips
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour, 2 cups (400 g) sugar, 2/3 cup (57 g) cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add in the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract. With a spatula or wooden spoon, mix together the dry with the wet ingredients until well combined, but not overmixed.2 cups (473 ml) water, 2/3 cup (158 ml) vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Fill muffin cups with ⅓ full of the chocolate cupcake batter then spoon 1 generous tablespoon of the cream cheese filling into the center of each cupcake. Repeat until all batter and filling have been used up.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until cake portion comes out clean with a toothpick. Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to wire rack to cool completely. They will sink a little and it's okay!
Nutrition
Photographs by Meg McKeehan Photography
If being made ahead should they be refrigerated because of the cream cheese filling?
yes, i would recommend that
My family loves these cupcakes! I had made them many times and I currently making them for my daughters baby shower. I also top them with hersheys chocolate frosting that’s on the back of the box. Thank you for this recipe!
Great to hear! Thank you!
Can anyone tell me why when I make these my cream cheese mixture sinks?
Hi,
Your recipe has two listings of sugar, one says granulated sugar and the other one just states sugar. Is there a difference or is it the same kind? Also, reading the ingredient list and your instructions it is not clear what ingredients are specifically for the filling versus the rest of the cupcake. I’m assuming bullet points 1-4/5 are the filling and the rest are the cupcake batter but for those still new to baking further clarification would be helpful in the future. Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback. Wrote this back in 2012 when I first started blogging so I agree, ingredients and instructions were horribly written. I will go update now.
I made these last night for my son’s rehearsal dinner tonight. I was worried about the 2 cups of water, but these turned out great. Ran out of the filling before the chocolate cake batter. Just made some plane chocolate and they are yummy as well. Used a less salt and made minnie cup cakes. Nice and moist. Great flavor.
I am a little confused, your recipe says at the top that the yeild is 2, two cupcakes, two dozen cupcakes? Thanks!
Hi, sorry. When I converted my recipes to a new plugin this year, it didn’t bring over everything. Thanks for pointing that out. It’s 2 dozen.