I have lamented before that I don’t often bake cupcakes. In fact, I don’t really make many things that require frosting. I can usually persuade Quinn to do any frosting that’s needed, because apparently he enjoys that kind of thing. I do like to be self-sufficient, however, so I tend to seek out recipes that don’t require frosting.
I was recently looking through my copy of Buttercup Bakes at Home looking for a specific recipe when I saw this recipe for an un-frosted cupcake. Besides the lack of frosting, these cupcakes have a couple of really good things going for them: chocolate and cream cheese. Those are two things I can rarely resist.
I like these so much. A simple statement, but I can’t think of a better way to say it. To be more specific, the chocolate cake part of these cupcakes is excellent. Very rich, with a wonderful texture. The cream cheese filling/topping is just divine. It’s truly amazing how so few ingredients can make something so very good.
I would like to emphasize the use of the miniature chocolate chips for these cupcakes. The size of the mini chips is just perfect for these. Larger ones just wouldn’t work as well. Although, if you’re in a pinch, use whatever size chocolate chips you have on hand. You just have to make these.
39 responses so far ↓
1 Marine // Mar 14, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Buttercup Bakes at Home is one of my favorite cookbooks. I haven’t made these yet but they look delicious! (My favorite are her chocolate peanut butter crispy rice bars!)
2 amanda // Mar 14, 2008 at 11:44 pm
I am not a big cupcake person. They seem cute on paper but often fail to live up to expectations. But these look really delicious. Cream cheese can’t hurt anything, right?
3 Aran from Cannelle Et Vanille // Mar 15, 2008 at 4:09 am
Oh my… these look so good and moist. I have looked at Buttercup Bakes at the book store many times but I never bought it. Now this is making me go back and get it!
4 Indigo // Mar 15, 2008 at 4:58 am
These look amazing; what a gorgeous texture. Cream cheese & chocolate are always fantastic!
5 Cindy // Mar 15, 2008 at 11:18 am
These look awesome! Of course anything with chocolate is going to get my full attention! And cream cheese is just an added bonus.
6 Tartelette // Mar 15, 2008 at 12:49 pm
They look wonderful! I could easily eat a whole batch by myself!
7 RecipeGirl // Mar 15, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I love the pic taken from up above. Very pretty
8 rachel // Mar 15, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I love these. We always called them black bottoms.
9 Chocolate shavings // Mar 16, 2008 at 10:00 am
Those look amazing! I have been having such a cupcake obsession lately, and this really isn’t helping!!
10 jennifer // Mar 16, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Thanks, everyone! With the exception of just a few, I took all of these to work where everyone just seemed to love them. I’m thinking of making them again for a simple Easter dessert.
11 Cindy // Mar 16, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Jennifer, are the mini chocolate chips semi or milk chocolate?
12 Mandy // Mar 16, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Oh, I love these as well! They are one of my favorites and have become a recipe that my friends and family always request. I have always known them to be called Black Bottom Cupcakes, however.
13 jennifer // Mar 16, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Cindy, I used semisweet chocolate chips. Those are usually my preference over milk chocolate.
Mandy, aren’t they the best? The Buttercup book also references them as Black Bottom Cupcakes. Whatever you call them, they’re delicious!
14 Shandy // Mar 16, 2008 at 11:16 pm
There is nothing like a chocolate and creamcheese fix and the addition of little mini chocolate chips sounds perfect! Very cute.
15 Sandie (Inn Cuisine) // Mar 17, 2008 at 9:49 am
I often prefer the actual cupcake to the icing, and since this recipe also combines 2 of my favorite flavors (chocolate and cream cheese,) it sounds perfect to me. I’ll be trying it soon!
16 Patricia Scarpin // Mar 17, 2008 at 10:27 am
What a nice twist on cupcakes, Jen.
17 jennifer // Mar 17, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Shandy, Sandie, and Patricia - thanks very much!
18 Tiffany // Mar 18, 2008 at 10:03 am
I made another recipe for Black and White cupcakes recently. These look much better!!! The ones I made were just…okay.
19 Maxine // Mar 18, 2008 at 10:40 am
Mmmm! These are my favorite!! My grandma has always made them and I dubbed them “cuppeecakes” when I was little, so that’s what our family calls them. Such a treat!: )
20 Gigi // Mar 18, 2008 at 1:59 pm
What a great recipe for a cupcake sans the frosting. It’s the perfect naked cupcake!
21 jennifer // Mar 18, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Thanks, Tiffany, Maxine, & Gigi! I still remember these fondly.
22 katy // Mar 19, 2008 at 2:30 pm
those look intensely delicious — i want one as an afternoon snack! i will look around for that cookbook…
23 jennifer // Mar 19, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Katy, there are many good recipes in this book. Definitely worth picking up.
24 Debbie // Mar 20, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I made them last week for my office. But as I usually do-I over-filled them and ended up making a 2nd batch. They had the most intense choclate flavor! The office loved them.
25 jennifer // Mar 20, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I’m glad they were a hit, Debbie!
26 TBC // Mar 23, 2008 at 10:22 am
Oh they’re simply gorgeous!
27 jennifer // Mar 23, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Thanks, TBC! I made these again for our Easter lunch, and they were just as good as I remembered.
28 Nan (and Jim) // Mar 25, 2008 at 6:09 pm
These are great cupcakes! Normally, we don’t get but one shot at sampling your desserts, so thanks for making them again at Easter! These were really good. In fact, we are still enjoying the ones you left here. This is just the right amount of chocolate for a snack!
29 amy korngiebel // Mar 26, 2008 at 10:49 am
these look AMAZING! they’ve been on my to-bake list since i 1st saw them.
yum!
30 jennifer // Mar 26, 2008 at 11:21 am
Glad you liked them, Nan & Jim.
Thanks, Amy! Let me know what you think if you try them.
31 carmen // Mar 28, 2008 at 9:36 am
I’m going to make these this weekend! thanks for sharing.
32 Erika // Mar 28, 2008 at 1:40 pm
My mother has been making these since I was little and they are still a favorite. I don’t know if the recipe is exactly the same or where she got the recipe but they are so good. I love that you made them because no one I know has ever heard of them before! Love the website too!
33 jennifer // Mar 28, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Carmen, I hope you like them!
Thanks, Erika!
34 Michelle // Mar 29, 2008 at 4:20 am
The last time I made this; the cupcakes were overflown. Yours look yummy and are to be drooled for!
35 jennifer // Mar 29, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Thanks, Michelle! I’m sure yours were still delicious. Definitely one of my favorite cupcakes.
36 Tara // Mar 31, 2008 at 7:10 pm
I just made these delicious cupcakes for my mom (they’re her favorite kind of cupcake) and she was thrilled! Thanks so much.
37 jennifer // Mar 31, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Glad she liked them, Tara!
38 Chris // Apr 28, 2008 at 11:14 am
These look delicious. Although I haven’t tried the cream cheese part (note to self!!), I have made the chocolate cupcake portion of the recipe before, and it is my favorite!
39 jennifer // Apr 28, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Thanks, Chris. I’m sure just the chocolate portion is wonderful on its own.
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