This is another cupcake that made an appearance at my Mom's birthday back in June. It has chocolate cake on the outside, but the middle is filled with cheesecake. Instead of having frosting, a simple chocolate drizzle tops everything off, making it look very elegant. When you are making these, it might seem like you have too much cheesecake filling, but don't worry. All the filling sinks inside the cake when they bake, so be sure to use all the filling, even if it seems like a lot. Even though they didn't look as fancy as some of the others at the party, I had many people tell me that these were the best ones they tried.
My husband loves cheesecake, which made me think of one of my favorite memories from getting to know his family while we were dating. His parents and siblings absolutely love holidays, probably more than any other family I have ever met. I first realized this when one year I could not go home for Thanksgiving, so I decided to spend the time with them. That year, Thanksgiving dinner was going to be at the church, and the cousins were coming from out of town. I remember very little about the traditional meal which I'm sure had turkey and potatoes, but the image that forever will be burned in my memory was the dessert table. My husband in the oldest of 7 kids, and that year the four oldest decided to all make a different kind of pie. Well, by the time someone accidentally doubled the already doubled pumpkin pie filling and the other pies were made, we hauled 8 pies and over 50 cupcake sized cheesecakes to the church. I thought they were the only ones bringing dessert or something, but no, the cousins brought pies also! I think there was about 3/4 of a pie for every person there that afternoon.
I found out that my little brother absolutely loves cheesecake also. Apparently it is his all-time favorite dessert. While he spent a week with us this summer, he ordered cheesecake and cheesecake frozen yogurt, and he tried more than once to talk me into making one. He also loves puppies, but that's a different story.
Black and White Cupcakes
Makes 12
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup cake flour (you can substitute all-purpose flour if you need to)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cups whole milk
For the gooey chocolate glaze:
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter, cut into two pieces
1. Begin by preheating your oven to 350° and making sure that an oven rack is in the middle of your oven. Place paper cupcake liners of your choice in two cupcake tins and set aside.
2. Next make the cream cheese filling. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on high until it is fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Beat until well combined and set aside.
3. To make the cake batter, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together into a small bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the butter and the remain 3/4 cup sugar and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Next, add the egg and the vanilla and beat to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
4. Next, fill your cupcake liners about half full with the cake batter. Then spoon a dollop of the cream cheese filling on top of each cupcake. It will seem like a lot of filling, but it will sink during baking, so make sure to use it all!
5. Bake the cupcakes about 15 minutes, or until they are set in the center. Allow them to cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. For the gooey chocolate glaze, combine the chocolate, the sweetened condensed milk, and the butter in a small sauce pan, and over medium-high heat, warm the mixture until it is bubbly and the chocolate has melted. Allow it to cool slightly, then spoon the glaze over the cupcakes. Enjoy!
Source: Adapted from Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski. And again thanks to AmandaJean Photos for the great pictures!
1. Begin by preheating your oven to 350° and making sure that an oven rack is in the middle of your oven. Place paper cupcake liners of your choice in two cupcake tins and set aside.
2. Next make the cream cheese filling. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on high until it is fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Beat until well combined and set aside.
3. To make the cake batter, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together into a small bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the butter and the remain 3/4 cup sugar and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Next, add the egg and the vanilla and beat to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
4. Next, fill your cupcake liners about half full with the cake batter. Then spoon a dollop of the cream cheese filling on top of each cupcake. It will seem like a lot of filling, but it will sink during baking, so make sure to use it all!
5. Bake the cupcakes about 15 minutes, or until they are set in the center. Allow them to cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. For the gooey chocolate glaze, combine the chocolate, the sweetened condensed milk, and the butter in a small sauce pan, and over medium-high heat, warm the mixture until it is bubbly and the chocolate has melted. Allow it to cool slightly, then spoon the glaze over the cupcakes. Enjoy!
Source: Adapted from Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski. And again thanks to AmandaJean Photos for the great pictures!
