I've never been a big fan of frosting. I just think it's too sugary. I know that sounds strange coming from me considering I have a huge sweet tooth but I just don't really like it. Give me ganache any day but the big pile of frosting on top of a cupcake just doesn't do it for me. This makes me great to be at a party with because I will scrape my frosting off and plop it right on your plate if you like.
These cupcakes are perfect for me because they don't need frosting. They are a moist chocolate cupcake with a delicious chocolate chip studded cheesecake like top. My mom used to make these when I was growing up and they are a recipe that always gets rave reviews. I hadn't made them in a really long time but shortly before Luke was born, a girlfriend of mine watched Jake along with her 3 kids so that Josh and I could get in one last fancy date before baby boy arrived and I wanted to reward her. She really loves these so I decided they would be the perfect treat to help her survive a night with four kids ages 5 and under.
They come together really quickly and are super easy, though they do make a little bit more dishes since you are making the chocolate bottom and the cheesecake top. They are totally worth it though, and that's saying something because you know how I like to minimize dishes.
Start out by pulling a brick of cream cheese (I used reduced fat) out of the fridge and put it in the bowl of your mixer. Then leave it there to soften while you make the chocolate base.
In a bowl combine some flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. I use a whisk because cocoa powder tends to be so clumpy. Then make a well in the center.
In a measuring cup, stir together some water, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla. Then pour the wet ingredients into the well in your dry ingredients.
Mix it all together until it is nice and combined. Then set it aside.
To the cream cheese in your mixer bowl, add some sugar and an egg. Cream it all together. Then stir in some chocolate chips. Mmm, mmm, mmm!
Put some paper liners in your muffin tin and then fill them up about halfway with your chocolate batter. My miniature sous-chef did the filling so ours got a little bit overfilled.
Then put a generous dollop of the cheesecake batter on top.
Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes and enjoy.
We got 14 cupcakes out of this, so in addition to my muffin tin I used 2 silicone muffin cups on a cookie sheet. If you fill yours a little less full you will get more, if you eat more of the cake batter (the chocolate is egg free so safe for kiddos and pregnant mamas) you will get a couple less. Either way, you will be in cupcake heaven. My mom says these freeze well but I can't speak from experience because they never last long enough to freeze in my house.
Black Bottom Cupcakes
Makes about 14 cupcakes
Cheesecake Layer:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 egg
- Cream together cream cheese, sugar, and egg. Stir in chocolate chips.
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 5 tbls. oil
- 1 tbls. cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup water
- Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center.
- Mix together oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water. Pour wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients and mix together until combined.
- Fill muffin cups 1/2 full with chocolate batter.
- Put a generous dollop of cheesecake batter on top.
- Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
No comments:
Post a Comment