Fancy Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Did you my little baking blog is only five months old? Feels like I've had it forever.  I was thinking about doing something fun for my six month anniversary, but then I remembered that I get annoyed when people celebrate 1/2 anniversaries, so never mind.

But anyway, one of the nice things about being new to baking is how novel everything is to me.  Recipes that have been around forever and that people have been making for years are brand new for me.

I decided to make what I now know as Black Bottom Cupcakes but what I thought were just fancy chocolate cream cheese cupcakes.

 

I adapted this recipe from allrecipes.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese softened

1 egg

1/3 cup white sugar

1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

(sorry the font and letter sizes are all wonky... the bold lines are actually the changes that I made to the recipe, but I didnt mean to highlight them in any way and I cant seem to fix it!)

What I have discovered about cupcakes.

I like them to have frosting.  Frosting piled high in a fluffy cloud of sugar.  I know.  I will turn in my foodie card now.

Oh yeah.  They wouldn't issue me one to begin with.  (Ya know, my love of box cake mix and all.)

So!  I think in the future I would make a semi-sweet chocolate frosting to compliment the chocolate cupcake and then all that yummy soft cream cheese goodness can be the lovely gooey center bite.

Er, something like that.

Let me know if you try it!

 

Comments

[Jessica]

Those look delish! I made some marble cupcakes the other day but they weren't the cream cheese kind. These look so much better!

[Renee]

Those look super tasty! Can you bring one over to me?

[JP'sMOM]

You can bet I will be trying this! I haven't seen a recipe on here that I won't try, they all look divine!

[Londa]

Oooo...black bottom cupcakes! I feel so gourmet now! We always called them "The chocolate cupcakes with the cream cheese stuff in the middle." Yeah, I grew up classy like that! I am so trying these tomorrow...right after I shred for 20 minutes and feel unworthy of Jillian's presence on my tv. Then I'll eat cake! ;)

[Courtney]

Oh my goodness.. can I have one? Looks amazingly delicious! :)

[Grapefruit]

Holy YUM. I haven't even had breakfast yet and you tease me with chocolate cream cheese cupcakes! They look wonderful.

[Alicia]

Oh my gosh, that looks so good!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anty Harton]

What is the purpose of the cream of tartar?

[Paige Galla]

Those are my favorite! My family has been calling them "Killer Cupcakes" for years. They were always my birthday dessert request as a kid! I love the sweet and salty.

[Jenn]

Ironically enough, I just took cream cheese out of the fridge to bring to room temp for a slightly different black bottom cupacke recipe. I think this calls for a bakeoff....my poor kitchen.

[Amanda Rettke]

Cream of tartar is best known in our
kitchens for helping stabilize and give more volume to beaten egg
whites. It is the acidic ingredient in some brands of baking powder. It
is also used to produce a creamier texture in sugary desserts such as
candy and frosting, because it inhibits the formation of crystals.

If you are beating eggs whites and dont
have cream of tartar, you can substitute white vinegar (in the same
ratio as cream of tartar, generally 1/8 teaspoon per egg white). It is
a little more problematic to find a substitute for cream of tartar in
baking projects. White vinegar or lemon juice, in the ratio of 3 times
the amount of cream of tartar called for, will provide the right amount
of acid for most recipes. But that amount of liquid may cause other
problems in the recipe, and bakers have found that cakes made with
vinegar or lemon juice have a coarser grain and are more prone to
shrinking than those made with cream of tartar.

More here

Hope that answers your questions!

[Barbara]

That's one sweet little cupcake! Love the idea of almond extract in them too. I think I like these without frosting...the black and white makes such a pretty presentation.

[Diane {createdbydiane.blogspot.com}]

they look delicious!

[CJ]

Just want to say I like coming to your blog. Its fun, and you always have something gorgeous that you've just made. I love looking at all your creative decorated baked things. I don't think I have enough patience to attempt most of them, but they are great ideas if I ever decide I want to try. =)

[Mara]

Congrats on your 5 month anniversary!! Those cupcakes look yummy, my DH's favorite combo is chocolate and creamcheese. He loves chocolate cream cheese brownies so I might have to make these for him. Yum!

[Judy Moyer]

Oh my goodness I will definitely be trying these. I love you blog! Happy 5 month anniversary! Keep these wonderful recipes and tutorials coming. It makes my day when I say an email notice from you!

[Michelle Andrews]

I will be making these this week. I have a couple of huge cream cheese fans in my house, and they would be thrilled with these. If I do I will post them on my blog (with credits to you) for you to see.

Thanks for another amazing recipe.

[Lauren]

I love these cupcakes! My friend's mom would always make these for us as an after school snack! YUM!

[Liz@HoosierHomemade]

Those look really good! I haven't had breakfast yet, you are tempting me :-)
I'd love for you to join in the fun at Cupcake Tuesday!
~Liz

[Christina]

Awww. I am drooling. Chocolate AND Cream Cheese. My two favorite things!
They look SOOOOO good!

[Sarah @ Ratatouille]

No fair Manda, your Black Bottom Cupcakes look waaay better than mine! <3

[Healthy Foods Blog]

No doubt, those cupcakes could be grouped to high quality cupcakes.

[Anh]

You have such amazing site and idea!! Love it!

[Stephanie]

I love love love frosting too. Although sometimes things are good without it - but are they still cupcakes? When I topped blood orange muffins with slices of candied orange, I wasn't sure what to call them. Muffincakes?

[bridget {bake at 350}]

I love a good frosting, too...but these look delicious even without!

[Amys blah, blah, blogging]

Oh, they look oh so yummy!! I have all those ingredients too...hmmmmm....

[holly]

Box cakes are awesome;) Thats what I use-Sandra Lee says its ok all it is the dry ingredients already mixed for us;) lol These cupcake look divine! Never made or had them before- have to hive them a try:)
The Peppered Pantry~

[Jes]

Found this through bakebakebake and had to comment! This is one of my all time favorite cupcake recipes. I'll have to try your version out sometime!

One things I love to do in this recipe is replace the mini chocolate chips with a cut up bar of high quality dark chocolate. It make the recipe taste a little richer and I didn't miss the frosting as much.

Also? Refrigerate these over night before you eat them. They're the only cupcake I've ever found that tastes better cold!

[Sarah]

In your instructions, it says to add vinegar but I don't see any vinegar listed in the ingredients list. ??? These look so yummy!

[Lisa]

Best eaten warm, I believe! Yum!!!

Lisa

[Michelle Andrews]

Amanda,
HEEEELP!! I am baking these, and as I'm going along I just realized that it says, in the written directions, to add vinegar, but I don't see vinegar in the list of ingredients. How much do I add? Also, do I add the cream of tartar at the same time as the dry ingredients?

Thank you! Can't wait to try these.

Michelle

[grace]

yes, although this type of cupcake (whatever it may be called) is good, my favorite part of any cake situation is the frosting. they sure are easy on the eyes, though, aren't they!

[ashleycupcakes]

Hi, I want these in my mouth, like right now.

Also, I just realized you're from Fargo (LIKE THE MOVIE?!). I am a current resident of FloodyFargo (my new name for it), small world! I moved here from Michigan a couple years ago.

[Christina]

I just made them this morning! Topping them with just a tad of cream cheese frosting. Cant wait to eat them with friends tonight! You have sooo many beautiful cakes and cookies. LOVE your site!

[foreplay game]

I loved this post. I really like the ideas they provide and as the subject development. thank you very much!

[viagra online]

you don't have to ask if a cupcake is good, i mean, we talk about cupcakes, any kind, any taste, they're good, all of them!!!

[Jen]

Hey Amanda, Jen from Fargo, your moms massage therapist! lol Want to try these but the directions don't match the ingredients. Does the cream of tartar replace the vinegar and did you add the salt as in the directions in both the cream cheese mix and the chocolate mix?

[oak dining tables]

This is lovely! This is perfect for my son'e birthday party! Thanks for this nice idea!