These Black Bottom Cheesecake Cupcakes are the perfect balance of chocolate cupcake on the bottom and cheesecake on the top! It’s like two desserts in every bite! Top them with a simple strawberry sauce if desired.
*Originally published May 2014. Photos and post updated Feb 2018*
Hi friends!
I’m resharing this fun dessert recipe for Black Bottom Cheesecake Cupcakes today in honor of Valentine’s Day coming up next week. My mom used to make these all the time when I was growing up and until a few years ago, I hadn’t thought about them in a long time. I came across the recipe, which my Mimi used to call Girdle Snappers, in a recipe box and decided to make them. They were just as good as I remembered.
These are fun because you don’t have to choose between cupcakes and cheesecake. You can have both in every bite!
Black Bottom Cheesecake Cupcakes
Last week I came across a random package of cream cheese in our fridge that was about to expire, so I thought I would make a batch of these to share with you guys. To make them a little more festive, I added a simple strawberry sauce. When I say simple I mean I literally cooked and mashed some strawberries, let them cool and then pureed them in a blender.
You could get fancier and add some extra sugar, reduce it down into more of a syrup if you wanted but I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s just a fun way to add a little extra sweetness and a pop of color just before serving. Totally optional!
Here’s the recipe:
PrintBlack Bottom Cupcakes
A fun dessert that combines the deliciousness of cheesecake with traditional chocolate cupcakes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12-15 1x
Ingredients
- 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 11/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup brewed coffee*
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg and sugar until combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine dry ingredients.
- Add liquid ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Line muffin tins with liners.
- Fill halfway with chocolate batter and top with cream cheese mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
- Let cool, store in refrigerator and serve cold.
The recipe said this should make 12-15 cupcakes. I made 13 before I ran out of the cheesecake mixture, so I just added some extra chocolate chips made 4 plain chocolate cupcakes with the remaining batter. I think they’re best if you really get an even split of cheesecake/cupcake mixture so do your best to do half and half and just remember you’ll probably have some chocolate leftover.
Try not to overbake them. Mine got a little brown on the top due to kid distractions!
They’re best eaten cold, so if you can, make them a day ahead of time and store them in the fridge!
[clickToTweet tweet=”These Black Bottom Cheesecake Cupcakes are the best of the dessert world. Get cheesecake and cupcake in every bite!” quote=”These Black Bottom Cheesecake Cupcakes are the best of the dessert world. Get cheesecake and cupcake in every bite!”]
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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coffee in them?? these have jonny’s name written all over them!!
The best of both dessert worlds? Yum! This would be perfect as a cross between a tiramisu and a cupcake!
Wow these are really cool. It reminds me of a like black tie affair type of dessert. It would be perfect for that sort of party.
What a fun treat! Grandma recipes are the best. 🙂
Yummmm these look so good!!!
Chocolate, cheesecake and coffee!
way to go mom!!! love the family recipe. YUM
These are so cute and I’m a sucker for anything with cream cheese- YUM! 🙂
Omg these look amazing!! Thanks for sharing!
Dessert + Coffee + heaven!!!
Lol I like the name “Girdle Snappers”. Such an outdated name!
These look delicious 😛
Yum!!! Drooling! I love putting coffee in chocolate recipes – it makes the chocolate flavor so much stronger.
yes! can’t believe i just learned that trick recently!
Lindsay, these look absolutely fabulous. Most of the time, when cheesecake is involved, I feel like the recipe is really difficult. This seems simple enough that I will have to give them a try! (Plus it’s awesome that I don’t need a $400 mixer to make them).
so simple! definitely give them a try!
Hi Lindsay,
Those black bottom cupcakes look really nice, might try that out some day.
I love family recipes! Healthy or not, these look awesome.
I remember eating something similar to this when I was little! Yum!
two of my favorite things combined into one – very creative!
Oh my! These look amazing! These would be perfect to take to a party!
I cracked up at the Mimi’s “girdle snappers” so funny! and I can see why, they look delicious!
Family recipes are awesome! Thanks for sharing these. I love chocolate and cheesecake!
Girdle Snappers… makes me chuckle.
I can’t wait to make these. We used to have amazing ones at this tiny restaurant I worked in. Yum!
Do you think whole wheat pastry flour would work in these? I am fairly clueless when it comes to baking substitutions… or baking in general 😉
Can I please live with you?! That looks so delicious and I would LOVE to be able to just stuff my face with those.
Send my way!!!! 🙂
Yum 🙂
Oh my word these look delish – chocolate and cheesecake a match made in heaven – thank you so much for this recipe I will definately be giving these a try.
hope you love them!
Yum! Black bottom cups are one of my favorite desserts that my grandma makes. I’m looking forward to trying this lightened up version 🙂
Do you need the sugar twice ?
Any suggestions for substitution to remove some of the sugar?
you could try cutting back some of the 2/3 cup in the chocolate mix. i already cut the amount back significantly from the original family recipe. You could try subbing some applesauce or prunes for some of the sugar if you want.