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Three black bottom cupcakes stacked on a white plate with half of a cupcake cut open so you can see the inside.
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Black Bottom Cupcakes

Black Bottom Cupcakes are a nostalgic favorite with roots in Baltimore, Maryland. They combine the richness of chocolate cake with a smooth, cheesecake-like filling, creating the most moist and decadent chocolate cheesecake bite! These easy-to-make treats don’t even need frosting—one taste, and I promise you’ll be hooked!
Author: Nikki Lee
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

Cheesecake Filling

  • 6 ounce cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Cupcake Batter

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup white granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (you can use as little as 1/8 cup)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar
  • vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tins with paper cups or spray the pans.
  • In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer - beat cream cheese and sugar until soft and creamy (no lumps of cream cheese). Add egg and salt and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips; set aside.
    6 ounce cream cheese, 1 large egg, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt using a mesh sieve or strainer. Then, whisk until well combined.
    ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup white granulated sugar, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • Add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract and stir until batter is smooth and well combined.
    ½ cup water, ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil, 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar, vanilla
  • Using a cookie or ice cream scoop, evenly divide chocolate batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each liner only ⅓ full with batter. Be sure to not fill more than ⅓ way if you want the cheesecake to sit on top.
  • Gently dollop about 1 ½ Tablespoons of cheesecake batter onto the top of the chocolate batter in the center.
  • Transfer to a 350℉ oven and bake for 16-20 minutes. (18 minutes is the magic number in my oven, but every oven varies).
  • Allow to cool completely and then enjoy.

Notes

Store in the Refrigerator: Since they contain cream cheese, it’s best to refrigerate them if they’ll be around for more than a day. Place them in an airtight container to keep them moist and fresh for up to 5 days.
Freezing: These cupcakes freeze beautifully! I like to wrap each one in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. But you can place them in the freezer on a tray to freeze initially and then store in the freezer bag (this prevents them from sticking together). They’ll keep for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let them thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
I also wanted to include my grandmother's original recipe, which is amazing and delicious. I made adaptations because no matter how many times I made these with the amount of cheesecake filling in her recipe, most of the time, the cheesecake went to the middle. So, I tested and perfected it to get that on the top consistently. Her recipe is also for 24 cupcakes. 
Grandma's Original Recipe:
Cheesecake Filling
  • 8 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Cupcakes
  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup white granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup water
  • ½  cup vegetable
  • 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

Find it online:

www.soulfullymade.com/black-bottom-cupcakes-recipe/