Black Bottom cupcakes Recipe

These black-bottom cupcakes, also known as topsy-turvy cupcakes, are an amazing flavor treat!  They have a chocolate cake base and a chocolate chip cream cheese center.  Most of the time, when I bake these, the cream cheese portion sinks and gets surrounded by the delicious chocolate, so the center is a wonderful surprise.  That's why these are also known as chocolate surprise cupcakes.

I lOVE cupcakes! These ones are fun and totally homemade. These Brownie Cookies (Brookies) are another favorite of mine! I do use some cheats to make them easier! And, if you are looking for a three ingredient chocolate muffin, try these 3 Ingredient Chocolate Banana Muffins.

Why I love these black bottom cupcakes

Chocolate and cream cheese in one dessert? That's the perfect dessert for me!  The flavors complement each other perfectly, and this is a delicious, moist cupcake.  These are old favorites, so you need to know that these cupcakes are not huge like we have become used to.  They generously fill the muffin cup but aren't large.
Ingredients are also very simple and if you bake at all, you probably have everything at home!

This is the perfect combination of chocolate with cream cheese deliciousness.

I do like my muffins larger than the original recipe suggests so I make 12.  If you are OK with really tiny muffins, you can make 24.

Ingredients

Cream cheese portion of batter

8 oz cream cheese
1 large egg
⅓ cup sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate batter

3 level cups flour
2 cups sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅔ cups vegetable oil
2 cups water
2 Tablespoons vinegar

Instructions

I make this recipe as 12 decent-sized muffins. You may choose to make them smaller and make 24 which is how they were traditionally made.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step 1
Line or spray a 12 regular-sized muffin tin

Step 2
Beat together, cream cheese, egg, ⅓ cup sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt.
Stir in chocolate chips (set aside).

Step 3
In a separate bowl, combine flour, cups sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
add liquids, vanilla, oil, water and vinegar to dry ingredients.
Beat until batter is well combined. (it will be runny).

Step 4
Fill 12 muffin wells just over ½ full with the chocolate batter mixture.

Step 5
Top with 1 Tablespoon cream cheese mixture. Use a heaping tablespoon if you are making 12.

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(if only making 12 muffins, you may have some cream cheese mixture left over)
Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 20 minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick in a chocolate part.

Storage

Store in a covered container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. This can also be stored in the freezer if well wrapped for up to three months.

FAQs

Other Delicious Chocolate Deserts

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Black Bottom cupcakes (aka Topsy Turvy cupcakes

Delicious chocolate cake batter on the bottom with a flavorful cream cheese mixture in the middle.  An old (and mostly forgotten) recipe that is enjoyed by many. These are also known as black and white cupcakes, topsy turvy cupcakes, surprise inside cupcakes.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24

Calories: 266Kcal

Author: Susan Moncrieff

Ingredients

For the Cream Cheese mixture

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips

For the Chocolate base batter

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• ⅔ cups oil
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vinegar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  This recipe makes 12 regular sized muffins.

Cream cheese mixture.

• Beat together 8 oz cream cheese, egg, ⅓ cup sugar, ⅛ teaspoon salt.
• Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips. **Set aside.**

Dry flour/cocoa mixture.

• Combine flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt
• Add these liquids to dry flour mixture: vanilla, oil, water & vinegar.
• Beat until well combined (batter will be runny). Fill 23 cupcake wells (lined with paper or sprayed) just over ½ full of flour/cocoa mixture.
• Top with 1 heaping TBLS cream cheese mixture.
• (if making 12 muffins, you will have some leftover cream cheese mixture)Bake 15 - 18 minutes at 350 degrees. Test for doneness in the chocolate part.

Notes

Traditionally, this recipe used to make 24 cupcakes.  If making 24, fill cupcake wells to just over ⅓ full of chocolate batter and use 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture.  Adjust time and test for doneness earlier.

 

Nutrition (I am not a nutritionist. These are estimates only)

Serving: 1g | Calories: 266Kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

Originally published Oct. 11, 2013 as Topsy Turvy cupcakes.