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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.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and 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.
- 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
These look so delicious! Can’t wait to try them.
Have a Happy Birthday!
: ))
Jen
Thanks, Jen! :)
Holy freaking cow these look incredible.
:) thanks! You should make some!!
Wishing you all the great things in life Julie. I hope this day will bring you an extra share of all that makes you happiest. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
These cupcakes look fabulous. Perfect way to celebrate your quarter century!
What a sweet comment. Thank you!!
Happy Birthday, Julie!!! :D Thanks for the shout out. We were thinking the same thing…chocolate!! Hope your day is sweet and can’t wait to meet you in March!
I can’t wait to meet you in March either!! Thanks for everything you’ve done so far. Enjoy your chocolate! Have some for me :)
Happy birthday!!! :)
Thanks! :)
Yum, what a perfect birthday treat. Enjoy and happy, happy birthday love!
Thanks, Cassie and thanks for that sweet text message this morning. Can’t wait to see you sometime :)
Happy Birthday! When I turned 25 I told my dermatologist I was having a quarter life crisis and asked what I should do to prevent aging! I think she thought I was crazy! These cupcakes look delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Haha, hopefully I’ll be ok…thanks! :)
happy, happy birthday, friend! hope 25 is a fabulous year for you. can’t wait to cheers with you this weekend! oh, + these cupcakes? they look insanely delicious. YUM!
Can’t WAIT for Saturday!!
Happy Birthday you young chickadee! I need to use up all of my food/baking goods before I move, so perfect timing, I’m going to give these a try!
Awesome! I hope you enjoy them as much as I have :) good luck with your move!!
These look awesome and are the perfect bday treat! Have a wonderful day :)
Thank you :)