Cupcake Vindication
Twice I’ve tried to make the Cook’s Country recipe for Black Bottom Cupcakes–chocolate cupcakes with a cheesecake-like filling. Both times the cupcakes burned. The first time I thought it was because I used foiled cupcake liners instead of paper. The second time I wondered if putting all 24 in the oven at the same time was was too much. Both times I was upset; I rarely burn a baked good. I felt like a failure.
Yesterday, I did some research. At Baking Bites, the blogger thought the recipe’s oven temp of 400F too high. She recommended 350. On Smitten Kitchen, I found a different recipe that also recommended 350. I tried 350, and I made a half batch of 12 cupcakes. It took at least 25 minutes for the filling to set, but the outsides did not burn. I am vindicated. The Cook’s recipe burns at 400, works well at 350, and making just one dozen worked well for me. Here is my adjusted recipe.
Black-Bottom Cupcakes, adapted from Cook’s Country
(Do not substitute regular chocolate chips for the miniature chips. Regular chips are much heavier and will sink to the bottom of the cupcakes.)
Makes 12
8 ounces cream cheese , at room temperature
1/4c. + (1/2c + 2Tbl.) sugar
1/8 + 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 3/8 cup sour cream , at room temperature
1/4 scant cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 + 1/8 teaspoons baking soda
2/3 cups water
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in medium bowl until smooth, about 30 seconds. Beat in egg white and 1 tablespoon sour cream until combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.
3. Whisk remaining sugar, remaining salt, flour, cocoa, and baking soda in large bowl. Make well in center, add remaining sour cream, water, butter, and vanilla and whisk until just combined. Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners and top each batter with 1 rounded tablespoon cream cheese mixture. Bake until tops of cupcakes just begin to crack, 23 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes in tin for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. (Cupcakes can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 days.)
June 21st, 2009 at 8:06 pm
I had a black bottom cupcake at Cupcake yesterday and it totally ruled. Must try to duplicate at home. Thanks for the recipe.
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:48 am
This is so funny. I just made these for a friend–but from The Joy of Cooking. I do believe you’ve found the recipe used there through your trial and error–lower oven temperature, and I made an even dozen (they call for 18 from the recipe) using slightly larger cupcake liners. I never bake, and these turned out perfectly. They also tasted just as good the second day as the first. And finally, I used a very simple but very delicious chocolate frosting from JoC on them (they were for a friend who LOVES chocolate). The Little Guy added sprinkles.
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I visited your site–chocolate plus filling plus frosting, plus sprinkles?! You go! They looked delish, and your friend and LG looked pretty excited.
I’d definitely give a look to the Joy of Cooking and to the other recipe on Smitten Kitchen (which is a GREAT food blog) to see if the amounts are a little friendlier than my halves.
I’m forever grateful for whoever taught me that 2 Tbl = 1/8 cup, and 4 Tbl = 1/4 cup. So useful.
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Try the recipe from Smitten Kitchen; the amounts may be easier to work with.
June 23rd, 2009 at 8:30 am
Like I wrote, I NEVER bake, so if I’m making something, we’re going all out. Plus our friend is a huge chocolate fiend, so I thought the slightly dark chocolate frosting was a nice contrast to the sweeter center. But yeah, all an excuse for total overindulgence.
June 24th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
These sound similar to the Black Holes we make, based on a recipe from Food TV back when you had to send away from recipes. The filling is cream cheese and chocolate chips. Heaven.
I think we have it scanned, if you want to compare.