Mariel here. As you may have noticed, my mom whipped up one of my grandmother’s delicious Chocolate Cheesecakes last week. While the recipe is beyond simple, I don’t have much use for a full-on cake unless it’s a) somebody’s birthday or b) I’m trying to impress a group of friends. Cupcakes on the other hand, well those are an everyday delight – pre-cut into portion-controlled servings and everything. Plus they freeze well, so if you’re not toting a batch off to Jimmy or Josie’s kindergarten class, you can store a reserve supply in an airtight freezable container and defrost ’em anytime a craving comes a-calling.
OK, so that was a long-winded way of saying that the following recipe dishes up flavors inspired by mom’s Choco-Cheesecake, but the vehicle is just a bit different. And I lightened up a few of the ingredients, although there’s still plenty of butter…this is baking after all. One final note: You’ll notice that these cakes are slightly more “shrunken” than a non-cream cheese cuppie; that’s because they’re denser, moister and generally more decadent…or at least they are in my humble opinion.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes
Makes 18-20 cupcakes
Ingredients for the Cupcakes:
1 cup flour – stock
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa – stock
1 cup sugar – stock
1 teaspoon baking powder – stock
½ teaspoon baking soda – stock
1/8 teaspoon salt – stock
8-oz package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature – $1.69
1 stick unsalted butter (½ cup), room temperature – stock
2 teaspoons vanilla – stock
3 egg whites – stock
¼ cup skim milk – stock
Ingredients for the Frosting:
8-oz package of 1/3 less fat cream cheese -$1.69
1 cup confectioner’s sugar – stock
1 teaspoon vanilla – stock
½ teaspoon lemon juice – stock
Grand total assuming “well-stocked” kitchen: $3.38
Cost per cuppie: $0.19
Directions for Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin pans with 18 paper liners.
2. Very gently whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
3. Using an electric (or hand) mixer, beat the sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the cream cheese just until it forms a thick creamy paste. Beat in egg whites. Add the vanilla and beat on high for 5 seconds. Beat the in flour/cocoa mixture, alternating with the milk. When all ingredients are combined, beat on high for 5 seconds to blend.
4. Using a spoon, divide the batter among cups, filling about ½ full. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool 10 minutes in pan. Then, gently remove from the pan and cool completely on a rack. Do not attempt to frost while they’re warm.
Directions for the Frosting:
1. Using an electric (or hand) mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until blended. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and beat on high for 5 seconds.
2. To frost these cupcakes, I suggest using a regular spoon-size amount on each. Add a dollop on top and then, using the back of the spoon, gently press down on the icing. Don’t worry about frosting right to the edge, these cupcakes actually look prettier with just a fluffy little mound right in the middle (as pictured).
Oh my these sound delicious! My sister makes a similar recipe and its actually replaced birthday cakes (by request) on a few occassions. Thanks for sharing & congrats on being pressed.
What a fantastic flavor combination…chocolate and cream cheese! Drool, drool, drool! 🙂
wow!! I shall try that tonight!
looks so good 😀
love.
summer.
Sounds wonderful!
My mouth is watering!
These look GREAT! I’m going to try them…
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I am at work right now and these just made me so hungry! They look delicious!
Wow, these look and sound delicious! Cant wait to give them a go (especially after my recent cupcake and cream cheese disaster)!
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ok…now that i’ve cleaned up the drool, i’m off to the kitchen…wow do these sound good…
Hey, just made the cupcakes and they were delicious!
It’s cool though when you see they are so inexpensive to make! Makes you think twice before splashing out 3 bucks something on something from Starbucks!
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Ahh! I’m in love! Must… Make… Cupcakes…
Drool on the keyboard. I kind of need chocolate now.
Where were you when I had to make a dessert for my neighborhood block party???!!! Ah, this would have been perfect. Now I must think of an excuse to make them.
Wow those look delicious, I want a Bite.
the snap looks just simply delicious!!!!a combination of two great C’s!!!superb…will surely try it out some day!
Oh man. We’re making this on saturday! yessss!
Mmmm…delish! Would love to try these!
so delish! I love cream cheese frosting! What a great inexpensive loved dessert!
dinner dresses decor and dessert
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Wow..you girls are good!Congratulations again for Freshly Pressed!!
Have to join the cupcake mania soon….these look delicious..my girlfriend is a professional cupcake girl, most of her creations are for weddings and birthdays…These are a winner!
mmmm 🙂 looks delicious!
They look so goooooood!
Chocolate+cheesecake=amazing!
Crystal
http://www.crystalspins.com
These sound and look really good. I love cupcakes! I can’t wait to try them out.
this looks so yummy :(( i mmmma hungry!
Wow these look delicious! You can add some orange sprinkles and they’ll be perfect for Halloween! Or red and green sprinkles and they’ll be a great tip for a Christmas party! Great post!
Yes, they look delicious. A lot of days 2 Halloween…
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looking forward to trying these!
Yummy! I can’t wait to try them out (when dairy free son not looking)!
Oh wow… those look so pretty and delicious! I love that they would freeze well too. I never think to freeze baked goods, but that’s a great idea!
I need a baked dessert for this weekend…and now you’ve solved the problem for me! Thanks for the delcious post. 🙂 These sound wonderful. Is it Saturday yet? I may not be able to wait until then to make them!
Smile =D
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Yumm, these look really good. I’ll have to try them sometime.
Hey if anyone owns a mac computer please read my blog. Can’t wait to try these cupcakes.
We have a birthday coming up and these just might make the menu, forget what the kid wants!
Thanks for posting this! I need to give this recipe a whirl. I am also a cupcake fan. Check out my latest post about cupcakes.
http://milieus.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/search-for-the-best-cupcake-part-6/
<3 Milieu
i must be a terrible grandmother as none of the “stock” things are in stock in my cupboard! i will have to stock up next payday and give these yummies a try.
I just had my first encounter with mini-cupcakes yesterday and can’t wait for the chance to try my hand at them. I love the cylindrical shape of yours. Where did you find the muffin tin?
I actually just used a regular muffin tin. The cupcakes are so moist and almost fondant-like that they settle into that little cylinder shape unprompted!
Mmmm, this looks SOOOO yummy!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
Wonderful ! cupcake is so popular, now I trying to learn about cooking. I think I will try it today. Thak you for your sharing the ingredients and direction.
This sounds, and looks too, very promising. Every time when I am not able to resist bying a chocolate cupcake from the Sprinkles, I wonder if I could bake a similar one. So maybe this recipe will be worth trying to check that. Thanks for it.
YUMM two of my favorite food groups…lol….
Yum!!!
wonderful look
This has got me craving! 🙂
I love the sound of chocolate and cream cheese together. What’s the chances you can pop a couple of those in the post to me?
🙂 Mandy
mmm I don’t have a well-stocked baker’s cupboard… but i’ll stock it up to make these! Love cream cheese desserts with chocolate ! 🙂
so Yummmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!
looks yummy!will definitely try this recipe =)
Those are such cute little things. I never thought about freezing cake before. However, there is a giant chunk of cake in my freezer from a year ago. Thoughts of waste won’t let me throw it out…
these look so yummers. must. make. these. now.
Woaw, they looks so pretty ;__;
Stupid me.. Why am I dieting..
yum! wish i had the patience to bake. i just wanna eat! =)
Wow! That looks scrumptious and tempting, it makes me wanna go down to the local bakeshop and grab some pastry.
Yummy! What a wonderful combination of goodness! 🙂
oh my now I have to go to the store and get e some cream cheese I have to make this WOWZA
To make these cupcakes even more like a cheesecake you can make a frosting that gets baked onto the cupcake mixture.
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg room temperature
12 oz cream cheese at room temperature
Beat the cream cheese with a electric mixer until fluffy add the sugar and slightly beaten egg mix for a minute.
Spoon out the cream cheese mixture delicately into the chocolate batter, making sure its not too deep (the cream cheese mixture should be visible on top). Bake as per your instructions.
If there’s one thing I like, it’s cupcakes. Thanks.
ack, so delectable! 🙂
LOVE the recipe!! You guys never disappoint!!
those yummy little things. i think i would be good to serve them chilled. good for parties too.
some people think that sweets are bad to the health. i am a dietitian and i tell you that sweets are not damaging if taken moderately. i am also glad to tell you that Hershey’s Moderation Nation is covering up to $250 consultation fee to a registered dietitian.
hmmm, I should try them all 🙂