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These Black Bottom Cupcakes are such delightful treats that are very easy to make. The cupcakes have a fudgy chocolate base and a creamy chocolate chip cheesecake topping that are always a hit at parties. Moist and tender, these cupcakes will melt in your mouth.
These black bottom cupcakes are a classic cupcake recipe that’s moist, rich, but airy. The cupcakes consist of two parts: a fudge-like base and a luscious cheesecake filling dotted with chocolate chips. It’s like having the best of both worlds when you cannot decide on making a cake or cheesecake, all in a bite-sized cupcake form!
These cupcakes are so simple to make but are such a decadent treat that’s full of flavor. I love making them for parties, and they always disappear fast at bake sales. Some readers commented that they had trouble dividing the batter evenly. So I retested it and now include the exact amount of each batter that I put in each liner. If you want another crowd-pleasing cupcake recipe, try my chocolate cupcake recipe, lemon cupcake recipe, and red velvet cupcake recipe.
“This recipe creates the best black bottom cupcakes that I have ever had! They are sooooooo moist. I bet you can’t eat just one. Thank you for this delectable recipe.”
Adrienne
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Cream cheese — be sure to use full-fat cream cheese blocks and not the spreadable type from a tub. Cold cream cheese won’t mix well, so bring it to room temperature, or it’ll leave small lumps in the filling.
Chocolate chips — you can use regular chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips. I have tested it with both and I prefer mini chocolate chips so each bite is filled with little bits of chocolate chips. You can also use any type of chips in this recipe, such as dark chocolate, white, milk chocolate, or semi-sweet.
Cocoa powder — I use unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe and not Dutch-process cocoa powder. Dutch-process cocoa powder has been neutralized in an alkaline solution which means it isn’t as acidic so it won’t react with the baking soda as well to give the cupcakes as good of a rise. I tested this with Dutch cocoa and it does still work, but the chocolate batter was denser. If you want to use it, add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar to help off set the lower acidity.
Vinegar — when you combine white vinegar and baking soda in the batter, it releases carbon dioxide and causes the cupcake batter to rise, making for a moist, fluffy texture. If you skip the vinegar, you may end up with a dense cupcake.
How to Make Black Bottom Cupcakes
1. For the cheesecake batter, in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. I found that a hand mixer works best since the volume of ingredients is too small for a stand mixer to mix well.
2. Add the egg and salt. Beat until well combined. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula if needed.
3. Stir in chocolate chips. I do this by hand with a spatula instead of the mixer so the chocolate chips don’t break apart.
4. For the chocolate cake batter, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
5. Whisk together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla in a small bowl.
6. Add the water mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until well combined and smooth. The chocolate batter will be runny.
7. Divide the chocolate batter evenly among the paper liners in a muffin pan. In my test, this was 2½ tablespoons (35g) per liner.
8. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the center of the chocolate batter in each liner. I used about 1½ tablespoons for each one. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the chocolate cake comes out clean, and the cream cheese filling is set. It should feel firm when you gently press it. Let the black bottom cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
Measure your flour correctly. Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake that will yield dry and dense cupcakes. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. My guide on How To Measure Ingredients Correctly shows this method step-by-step.
The egg should be at room temperature to ensure it incorporates into your batter evenly. If you forgot to take your egg out of the fridge ahead of time, you could quickly bring it to room temperature by placing it in a large bowl and running warm tap water over it for 5 minutes.
Avoid overmixing as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to this black bottom cupcake recipe becoming tough.
Don’t skip sifting the dry ingredients. Doing so will remove any clumps in the cocoa powder or flour and aerates the ingredients to yield lighter cupcakes.
Use paper liners as the cupcakes will stick to the muffin pan if you add the batter directly to the pan.
Try my tasty chocolate buttercream frosting recipe or vanilla buttercream frosting if you want to have frosted cupcakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Due to the cream cheese, you will have to refrigerate the cupcakes. Before serving, you can bring them out to room temperature or serve them directly from the fridge.
Yes, you can bake the cupcakes in advance. Refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You cannot make the batter in advance as the cupcakes will fall flat, as the activated baking soda will lose its rising properties after mixing.
I like to freeze the black bottom cupcakes on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Store for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight before serving. Use my tips for how to freeze cupcakes and avoid freezer burn.
Black Bottom Cupcakes
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Muffin pan
- Electric mixer
- Paper cupcake liners
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 6 ounces cream cheese room temperature (172g)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (112g)
Cake Bottoms:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (90g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water (120mL)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (60mL)
- 1½ teaspoons white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the egg and salt. Beat until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
For the Cake Bottoms:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Add the water mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until well combined and smooth. Divide the chocolate batter evenly among the paper liners. (They shouldn’t be completely full. I used 2½ tablespoons/35g in each one.) Spoon the cream cheese mixture onto the center of the chocolate batter in each liner. (I used 1½ tablespoons/29g in each one.)
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the chocolate cake comes out clean and the cream cheese filling is set. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack. The cupcakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake that will yield dry and dense cupcakes. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- The egg should be at room temperature to ensure it incorporates into your batter evenly. If you forgot to take your egg out of the fridge ahead of time, you could quickly bring it to room temperature by placing it in a large bowl and covering it with warm tap water for 5 minutes.
- Avoid overmixing as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to tough cupcakes.
- Don’t skip sifting the dry ingredients. Doing so will remove any clumps and aerates the ingredients to yield lighter cupcakes.
- Use paper liners as the cupcakes will stick to the muffin pan if you add the batter directly to the pan.
- Try my tasty chocolate buttercream frosting or vanilla buttercream frosting if you want to have frosted cupcakes.
Nutrition
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More Recipes To Try
For more easy cupcake recipes, bake on of these next:
- Moist Vanilla Cupcakes: a stir-together batter bakes into the perfect fluffy and moist cupcakes.
- Strawberry Cupcakes: real strawberry puree flavors the cupcake batter and the frosting in this recipe.
- Banana Cupcakes: a super easy banana cupcake made with mashed over-ripe bananas and topped with cream cheese frosting.
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes: the traditional layer cake turned into individual cupcakes, packed with grated carrots and warm spices.
- Mini Cupcakes: the best bite-sized cupcakes, perfect for parties; choose your favorite frosting to top the vanilla cupcakes.
If you’ve tried this Black Bottom Cupcakes recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
