Black-Bottom Cupcakes (Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes)

These chocolate cupcakes with cheesecake filling are the ultimate sweet treat! Whether you call them black-bottom cupcakes or tuxedo cupcakes, these cream-cheese-filled chocolate-flavored cupcakes are amazing!!!

A few years ago I saw this recipe for Black Bottom Cupcakes in a local magazine and tried it. I loved it but found it just a bit salty for my liking. I haven’t tried it since then. It’s been a few years now.

This Saturday, my kids wanted me to bake something for them (usually, when it’s not too busy I do some baking with my kids).  Naturally, they wanted something sweet preferably with chocolate. Now I love chocolate but I never fancy anything to overwhelmingly sweet.

I looked at my fridge and tried to see what possible ingredients I had available and then I saw half a block of cream cheese that was waiting to be used. Suddenly, the Black-Bottom Cupcakes or Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes made a flashback and I thought why not re-visit the recipe?

So, I did some internet research and found this basic recipe that everyone seems to use and have used. I think this is similar to the one I found in the magazine and noted that I will make sure to lessen the salt content (it was truly overpowering to me).

So basically, I used the recipe from allrecipes.com and just tweaked it to suit my available ingredients and followed a few of the advice I read from the comments there.

It came out great!!! It was gooey, moist, and delicious! It’s still not overwhelmingly sweet, which I love, and most of all, not salty! I made a mistake and put only a pinch of salt in the cake batter and never put any salt at all in the cream cheese filling.

To be honest, that mistake turned out well – I avoided the over-saltiness of the original recipe (after all the original recipe is not too sweet) and my cupcake was just right – not too sweet and definitely not salty. If you want a sweeter version then use a sweeter chocolate. I only used the available semi-sweet choco chips in my pantry but next time I will use the plain or dark chocolate bar for a more intense chocolate flavor.

Other people have commented as well that the cream cheese filling in the recipe was too much for the batter so I used only half a block of cream cheese – after all, I only really had half a block of cream cheese – but pretty much followed the measurement for the filling except the salt (totally abandoned it).

Instead of just plain water, I added 1 teaspoon of ground instant coffee (I used the Starbucks ready brew) to add more flavor depth to the cake. I loved it – it didn’t overpower the cake at all. I was also happy that the cream cheese filling sank at or near the bottom and yet you are still left with a cute creamy-white blob on top!

I use my regular Demarle Muffin pan for this which is bigger than the usual muffin tins – I divided the batter equally among the 12 cups – about halfway each cup and a rounded tablespoon of filling per cup. It was just right, but you may be able to make extra if you are using the regular muffin tins so adjust accordingly. Also, it cooked at about 25-27 minutes because they are bigger than the regular muffins! But they came out so perfect as you can see in the photo!

Can you see how moist it is? Hope you make these soon!

Ingredients for Black-Bottom Cupcakes

For the Cream Cheese filling

Half a block of cream cheese (8 oz), softened at room temp (You can use an entire block)
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
3/4 – 1 cup chocolate chips

For the Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups Flour
1 cup white Sugar (I used the ultra-fine cane sugar)
1/4 c. unsweetened Cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
A pinch or 1/8 teaspoon Salt
1 cup water mixed with 1 teaspoon ground instant coffee (Starbuck Via ready-brew)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions for Black Bottom Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). If you are using regular muffin tins, line them with paper cups or lightly spray them with non-stick cooking spray.

For the Cream Cheese Filling

In a mixing bowl, beat the
cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth or there are no more lumps. Stop the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips ensuring that they are fully incorporated into the mixture. Set aside.

For the Cupcake Batter

For the cupcakes sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk together until well blended.

Fill the muffin tins 1/2 full with the batter and top with a rounded tablespoon ( or a dollop) of the cream cheese mixture. (You can adjust the amount to your liking – add more if you want more cream cheese filling).

Bake at 350º for 25-28 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes and remove from pan.

Makes about 18 in a regular muffin pan and 12 exactly in a Demarle pan. Enjoy!!!

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Black-Bottom Cupcakes

Manila Spoon
These chocolate cupcakes with cheesecake filling are the ultimate sweet treat! Whether you call them black-bottom cupcakes or tuxedo cupcakes, these cream-cheese-filled chocolate-flavored cupcakes are amazing!
5 from 10 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 18
Calories 214 kcal

Ingredients
 

For the Cream Cheese Filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 c. sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

For the Cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups Flour
  • 1 cup white Sugar (I used the ultra-fine cane sugar)
  • 1/4 c. unsweetened Cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • A pinch of Salt
  • 1 cup water mixed with 1 teaspoon ground instant coffee (like Starbucks Via ready-brew)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). If you are using regular muffin tins, line them with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

For the Cream Cheese Filling

  • In a mixing bowl, beat the
cream cheese, egg and sugar until smooth or there are no more lumps. Stop the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips ensuring that they are fully incorporated into the mixture. Set aside.

For the Cupcake Batter

  • For the cupcakes sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk together until well blended.
  • Fill the muffin tins 1/2 full with the batter and top with a rounded tablespoon ( or a dollop) of the cream cheese mixture. (You can adjust the amount to your liking – add more if you want more cream cheese filling).
  • Bake at 350º for 25-28 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes and remove from pan.
  • Makes about 18 in a regular muffin pan and 12 exactly in a Demarle pan. Enjoy!!!

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 5gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 664mgPotassium: 157mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 25IUCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Last updated on March 23rd, 2024 at 03:54 pm

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12 Comments

  1. March 11, 2013 / 12:52 am

    I just started following you today! These cupcakes look amazing!

    Paige
    http:thehappyflammily.blogspot.com

    • March 14, 2013 / 1:36 am

      Thanks, Paige! Welcome to Manila Spoon and hope you enjoy our recipes here!

  2. Linda
    April 7, 2013 / 9:53 am

    Thank you for reminding me of this recipe. It was an old time favorite in my home. I would also add chocolate chips to the cream cheese filling as I'm a huge chocolate fan.

    • April 10, 2013 / 3:05 am

      It's such a popular recipe and I am not surprised at all – so delicious, indeed! Thanks for stopping by Linda!

    • April 10, 2013 / 3:05 am

      Same here, Rosie – it was so wonderful to bite into the chocolate and then the cream cheese. How wonderful!

  3. April 8, 2013 / 2:58 pm

    sounds yummy!

    • April 10, 2013 / 3:06 am

      I must say it truly is, Dina! Appreciate you stopping by!

  4. Anonymous
    April 28, 2013 / 3:33 am

    No eggs in the brownie batter?

    • April 28, 2013 / 3:42 am

      None – the original recipe doesn't have it either.

    • July 29, 2013 / 2:28 am

      Good question, that's 8oz and I will update the recipe. Thanks for pointing this out.

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