Black Bottom Cupcakes

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.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Cream cheese — be sure to use full-fat cream cheese 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 prefer mini chocolate chips so each bite is filled with chocolate chips. You can also use any 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 won’t react with the baking soda to give the cupcakes a good rise.

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. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until smooth.

2. Add the egg and salt. Beat until well combined.

3. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. 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.

7. Divide the chocolate batter evenly among the paper liners in a muffin pan.

8. Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the center of the chocolate batter in each liner. 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 black bottom cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.