Black Bottom Cupcakes Recipe (2024)

Black bottom cupcakes are chocolate cake and cheesecake rolled into one! No frosting required.

What do you do when you only have ONE 8 ounce package of cream cheese? Make mini cheesecakes or cheesecake bars?

No, even lemon cheesecake bars and small Instant Pot cheesecakes require 16 ounces of cream cheese. So, I decided to make these black bottom cupcakes.

Black bottom cupcakes are chocolate cream cheese cupcakes. The classic version is a rich moist chocolate cake topped with cheesecake. Hence, “black bottom”. I like to make mine by swirling it into the chocolate cake batter.

How to Make Black Bottom Cupcakes

To make these cream cheese cupcakes, you need to make two batters: the cupcake batter and cream cheese batter.

First, make the cheesecake batter by combining all the ingredients into a bowl and SLOWLY mixing. It is important to not over mix this batter. You want it to be smooth but not get too thin or it will sink into the cupcake. (Especially, if you decide not to swirl it.) Stir in mini chocolate chips at the end.

Next prepare the cupcake batter. This is an eggless batter and it DOES work so please don’t think there is a mistake because there is no egg!

Make the batter by combining all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine the wet ingredients separately and then add them to the center of the dry ingredient mix and stir with a spatula until smooth.

Divide the chocolate batter evenly between the 12 cupcakes, leaving a few tablespoons to add over the top at the end. Add a dollop of the cheesecake batter to the center of each cupcake followed by a little bit of the leftover cupcake batter. Gently swirl the batters with a butter knife.

Bake them in the oven until the tops are slightly brown and just beginning to crack. Let them cool on a rack outside the oven.

Tips

• I find regular sized chocolate chips to be too chunky for these cupcakes but you can use them if you don't have mini chocolate chips.
• I have used coffee as my liquid ingredient because coffee enhances the taste of chocolate. However, you can also use water if you don’t like the idea of using coffee.
• The total amount of batter should not completely fill the cupcake liners. The batter should be more than ¾ of the way up but not ALL the way up.
• Don’t over swirl the mixture. Two or three strokes is usually enough.
• Store cooled cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Variations

• Use other flavored chips mixed into the batter. Try peppermint chips or peanut butter chips!
• Add a whole other dimension by swirling in raspberry puree into the cheesecake batter.
• Black bottom cupcakes are not usually frosted but I’m betting these would be fantastic with a peanut butter frosting!
• For other chocolate and cheesecake combinations, you may also want to check out my Irish cream cheesecake brownies and mini Almond Joy cheesecakes.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Black bottom cupcakes are chocolate cake and cheesecake rolled into one! No frosting required.

Ingredients

Filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips

Cupcake

• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup coffee, cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare a 12 cup muffin pan by greasing the cups or lining them with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the filling ingredients: cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix together on SLOW speed with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Scrape down the sides at least once between mixing. Do not over mix! Stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
3. In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
4. Combine the coffee, vanilla, oil and vinegar together in a small bowl or large measuring cup.
5. Add the liquid ingredients to the flour mixture and stir with a spatula until evenly mixed.
6. Divide the cupcake batter into the muffin tin evenly. Leave a few tablespoons of batter aside.
7. Add a 1 ½ tablespoons of cheesecake batter on top and in the center of the chocolate batter.
8. Distribute the remaining amount of chocolate batter evenly over the cheesecake batter.
9. Using a butterknife, swirl the tops of the cupcakes. Two to three strokes with the knife dipped about ½ inch into the batter should be enough.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops turn golden and spring back to the touch.

Notes

The total amount of filling in each cupcake liner is a little more than ¾ of the way to the top. There’s a very fine line between the perfect amount of fill to over filling, so always underfill if you are not sure. If you over fill, your cupcakes will spill out while baking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 312Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 204mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 27gProtein: 4g

This nutrition information is only an approximate provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. Information comes from Nutritionix, an automated nutrition calculator.

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